Allergies
Help kids with food allergies focus on all the foods they are able to eat, and how they can make eating a fun experience
THROAT: itching, tightness, diffi culty swallowing, hoarseness CHEST: shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, chest pain, tightness HEART: weak pulse, passing out, shock GI TRACT: vomiting, diarrhea, cramps NERVOUS SYSTEM: dizziness or fainting. The symptoms can occur in many com- binations, and can lead to a potentially fatal reaction called anaphylaxis. Due to the potential severity of these reactions, anyone in charge when kids are away from home, such as summer camp coun- selors and directors or other caregivers, along with the other children, can under- standably feel apprehensive.
It is imperative that an emergency plan be in place, along with communication between kids and caregivers. Also, care- givers need high-quality training on food allergies and medication administration.
Emergency Action Plans Currently, there is no cure for food allergies, only treatment for reactions. Any child with food allergies should have a written emergency action plan that is understood by parents, kids and
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caregivers. In some cases the health care provider generates this plan. This document should include emergency contact numbers and steps to take if ex- posure to a food allergen has occurred. It should specify procedures for dealing with symptoms after ingestion, and guidelines for administering emergency medications including diphenhydramine and epinephrine injectors. The plan should outline how and when to notify emergency medical services and how to provide aftercare.
In some instances kids who meet certain criteria are allowed to carry an epinephrine injector; in other cases, the injector is housed at a nurse’s offi ce. Re- gardless of where the medication is kept, any caregivers, and, if age-appropriate, the child, should be trained on how to use the emergency medication. Two injectors should be available in the event that the fi rst injection does not function properly or does not resolve the child’s symptoms. It’s also important to note that the devices can expire and that the dose is weight-based. A yearly follow-up with the prescribing provider is essential.
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