It’s hard to believe that it is August and school is starting in just 26 days! As a food allergy family, we have a lot to get ready:

1. Epi Pen renewals; keeping one on Chloe + in the nurses office at all times.
2. New rescue inhaler for asthma
3. Packing a new allergy friendly snack box for treats in the classroom (our policy is always no sharing, unless we have discussed it prior to the event and have approved the snack.)
4. Talking with the teachers about classroom snacks and food allergies.
5. Confirming lunch time routine
6. And new for this year, talking with our new lunch program coordinator

After stopping by the FARE website to get some helpful tips, I came across this check sheet for classrooms that I thought was helpful. Even though I am not a teacher, this gave me some good ideas for every day use + reminders.  Have fun gearing up for school this year!

*************************************************************************************
The checklist below provides a list of 10 measures teachers can implement to help keep students with food allergies safe and included in their classrooms.
✓ Work with parents, the school nurse, and other appropriate school personnel to determine if any classroom modifications are needed to make sure that students with food allergies can participate fully in class activities.
✓ Avoid the use of identified allergens in class projects, parties, holidays and celebrations, arts, crafts, science experiments, cooking, snacks, or rewards. Modify class materials as needed.
✓ Use non-food incentives for prizes, gifts, and awards.
✓ Consider designated allergy-friendly seating arrangements in the cafeteria.
✓ Include information about children with special needs, including those with known food allergies, in instructions to substitute teachers.
✓ Encourage children to wash hands before and after handling or consuming food.
✓ Determine if the intended location for a field trip is safe for students with food allergies. If it is not safe, the trip might have to be changed or cancelled if accommodations cannot be made. Students cannot be excluded from field trips because of food allergies.
✓ Avoid ordering food from restaurants because food allergens may be present, but unrecognized.
✓ Have rapid access to epinephrine auto-injectors. If you suspect a severe food allergy reaction or anaphylaxis, take immediate action, consistent with your school’s food allergy management emergency response protocol.
✓ Be a role model by respecting the needs of students with food allergies and reinforcing the school’s rules against discrimination and bullying.
Download the checklist as a printable one-page PDF
For more helpful resources like this one, visit FARE’s Back to School Headquarters.