Is Your School Ready to Help Students With Food Allergies?

For the approximately six million children in the U.S. who have one or more food allergies, going back to school can be scary. Ensuring that schools are ready to help students manage their food allergies is critical and the St. Louis Children’s Hospital is providing a unique opportunity to do so! The hospital has created the Food Allergy Management and Education (FAME) Manual and Toolkit and is looking for schools to pilot the program now. The pilot is designed to determine the effectiveness of the manual and toolkit which will help schools establish a framework for managing food allergies.

Specifically, the guidance will help school staff understand life-threatening food allergy reactions and their causes, know how to recognize and respond to severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), and develop policies and procedures to maintain a safe school environment for children with food allergies. Toolkit materials are divided into role-specific sections for principals, nurses, teachers, transportation staff, school nutrition staff and others, and include emergency protocols. The materials can be used for professional development to create instructional staff trainings. Also included are forms and information for students and families.

To enroll in the pilot, you must complete a confidential, 15 minute online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/FAME_National_Pilot. Once you have completed the survey you will be able to download the FAME Manual and Toolkit. A follow-up 15 minute survey is also scheduled for November.

Pilot participants will receive a FAME certificate that recognizes the school’s participation. If you need additional information or have any questions, please email [email protected].