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Schools face major challenges as they reopen for the 2020-2021 school year. To help reduce the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 among staff and students, schools will follow new policies and practices. This causes many parents to wonder how this will affect their child with food allergies or asthma.  In most school districts, we can expect to see policies about face coverings or masks, physical distancing and cleaning. These new policies may affect how schools handle food allergies. But in most cases, the impact on kids with food allergies should be minor. In fact, some policies may...

What to Do in an Emergency If someone is having an anaphylactic reaction, follow these 5 emergency steps: Give epinephrine (e.g. EpiPen® ) at the first sign of a known or suspected anaphylactic reaction. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency medical services and tell them that someone is having an anaphylactic reaction. Give a second dose of epinephrine as early as 5 minutes after the first dose if there is no improvement in symptoms. Go to the nearest hospital right away (ideally by ambulance), even if symptoms are mild or have stopped. The reaction could get worse or come back. Call emergency contact...

Be Ready to Treat an Allergic Reaction Even at home it’s good to have a plan, so everyone is prepared if there is a reaction. An Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan can be shared with extended family, housemates, babysitters or anyone else who comes into your home. All family members and caregivers should know how and when to use an epinephrine auto-injector. Have up-to-date auto-injectors and know where to find them. Keep your auto-injectors and any other medications recommended by your doctor handy. Make sure they are out of reach of young children and that family members know where they are kept....

Learn Safe Practices Together with Kids Your whole family can be involved in meal planning at home. They will gradually learn safe practices, such as replacing ingredients in favorite recipes to make them safe to eat. If you make food in your home that contains a family member’s allergens, here are some great tips for staying safe: Cook meals that are free of the person’s allergens first, using separate cookware and serving utensils. Keep the food covered in a space where it will not be splashed or come into contact with other foods. Do not use the same utensils when cooking or...

What to do with the candy afterwards Tip 1: Some parents do a “switch witch” or a “great pumpkin”, where kids leave their treats overnight and parents exchange them for a new toy. Make a date to go to the store so your child can pick out what they would like. Read how one family incorporates the great pumpkin. Tip 2: Donate the candies to your local seniors centre, food bank, or community centre. Tip 3: If your child is keeping the treats, plan to sort them out together. Encourage your child to read the ingredient labels and help them determine which are the...