Allergy policy 2013-tf

ALLERGY AND ANAPHYLAXIS POLICY

Channing School takes allergies very seriously and procedures are in place to ensure
the safety of all its pupils and staff.
Common Allergens

Peanuts, tree nuts, egg, milk, kiwi fruit, fish, soya, latex, insect stings and medicines
(e.g. Penicillin).
Allergic reactions can range from mild symptoms to a life-threatening anaphylaxis.
Mild allergic symptoms can include:

• Tingling to lips and mouth • Slight external facial swelling • Nausea • Urticaria (nettle rash or hives) • Abdominal pain • Shortness of breath Treatment
Oral anti-histamine, eg. Piriton.
Ventolin inhaler if prescribed.
What is Anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction – the extreme end of the allergic spectrum.
Symptoms may be fatal if not treated with adrenaline (also known as epinephrine).
The whole body is affected, often within minutes of exposure to the allergen but
occasionally the reaction may occur some hours later.
Symptoms
The symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
• generalised flushing of the skin • Urticaria (nettle rash or hives) anywhere on the body • sense of impending doom • swelling of mouth and throat • difficulty in swallowing or speaking • alterations in heart rate • severe shortness of breath or difficulty of breathing • abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting • sudden feeling of weakness (caused by rapid fall in blood pressure) • collapse and unconsciousness

Treatment
Intramuscular adrenaline is the front-line treatment for anaphylaxis.

School Procedures
Girls with allergies are identified from the Medical Questionnaire. The School Nurses
liaise with the parents to ascertain the full extent of the allergy and if required, will
request a Treatment Protocol from the girl’s consultant in the case of potential
anaphylaxis.
All girls identified as having serious allergies will have a named emergency drug bag
kept for them at school. These emergency drug bags will contain a photo of the girl and
her individual treatment plan as well as any emergency drugs she may need. In the
senior school the emergency drug bags are kept in an unlocked labelled drawers in the
medical room.
In the junior school, the girls will have 2 bags, one of which is kept in the medical
cupboard in the staff room and the other in the kitchen/ dining room. Those girls in the
Senior School who are at risk of anaphylaxis must also carry emergency adrenaline
preparations (e.g. Epi-Pen) with them at all times.
Parents are responsible for maintaining valid medication at school. Reminders are sent
to parents prior to the expiry of any medication to facilitate this.
For safety reasons, students will not be allowed to attend school if they do not provide
the nurses with valid emergency drugs.
Training and Information
All members of staff, have regular refresher sessions on allergies and have the
opportunity to practice using a Training Epi-Pen. Lists of girls with serious allergies
are available on the Medical Database. Staff are reminded that all girls with serious
allergies, who are displaying any relevant symptoms are allowed to leave lessons
without delay.

Allergies and food in school
The Catering Manager has access to the Medical Database, to check for any girls with
food allergies. The Catering Department makes every effort to provide a safe school
lunch for all pupils, however if parents want to send a packed lunch to school, this
must be agreed with the Deputy Head in advance and only after the School Catering
Department has confirmed that it cannot provide a safe school lunch.
Parents are asked to take into account children who have allergies when sending in
cakes for birthdays etc. The parents of allergic children take responsibility for
providing safe alternatives on these occasions.
School Trips

When going on school trips the teacher in charge is responsible for checking which
girls have allergies and collecting their emergency drugs. They must sign the
emergency medication out in the orange signing-out book (in the senior school) and
sign in the emergency medication as soon as the trip has returned.
If a girl has an allergic reaction on a trip and the staff have any concerns regarding the
severity of the attack, an ambulance must be called. If there is any doubt whatsoever, it
is better to play safe and administer adrenaline in the form of an Epi-Pen
Staff must also complete an accident form and report the incident to a member of the
SMT as soon as possible.
For trips outside of school requiring a packed lunch, the kitchen staff should be advised
of those girls with special dietary requirements in order to prepare appropriate lunches.
For residential trips, planning must take place well in advance. The trip leader needs to
liaise with parents and the centre at which they’ll be staying, to ensure caterers are
aware of girls with specific allergies. Accompanying staff need to be trained and feel
comfortable with dealing with allergies. The School Nurses will offer support and
extra training as needed.

Emergency Procedures in School
School staff need to know what to do in an emergency - how to recognise the
symptoms of an allergic reaction, and what to do if it happens. In any case of allergic
reaction call the School Nurse.
A member of staff must always stay with the girl concerned. If possible take the girl to the medical room. If she is unable to get there, they should send someone to get the nurse and bring the girls emergency drug bag. The girl’s treatment plan on the bag must be followed. If there is any doubt whatsoever, it is better to play safe and administer adrenaline in the form of an Epi-Pen. If in doubt, an ambulance should be called, and always if an epi-pen is
administered.
There are different formats in which emergency adrenaline is prescribed. Anapen is an older device, which is rarely in use now. It has a ‘firing’button which
needs to be pressed for a spring-activated plunger to push the needle and deliver a
single measured dose.
EpiPen has a spring-loaded concealed needle that delivers a single measure dose when
the pen is jabbed against the muscle of the outer thigh.
Jext is the newest of the adrenaline devices. It has a locking needle shield which
engages after use, and is designed to protect against needle stick injuries. It is used in
the same way as an EpiPen.
Epi-Pen / Jext Procedure
1. With thumb nearest grey / yellow cap, form fist around unit (black tip down) 2. With other hand remove grey / yellow safety cap 3. Hold black tip near mid outer thigh 4. Jab firmly into outer thigh from a distance of approximately 10cm 5. Press hard until a click is heard 6. Hold firmly in place for 10 seconds 7. Massage the injection area for 10 seconds 8. Arrange immediate ambulance to hospital 9. Give used Epi-pen / Jext to ambulance crew NB The pen can if necessary operate through light clothing (NOT denim)

Source: http://www.channing.co.uk/fileadmin/content/Parents/Allergy_Policy_2013-TF.pdf