Watch Out for Life-Threatening Allergies

Many children live with allergies.  Although allergies are common, sometimes allergies are severe enough to cause life-threatening reactions.  For example, some children are severely allergic to peanut butter.  Even a tiny bit can be fatal within minutes.  These severe allergic reactions are called Anaphylactic Reactions.  Some of the allergens that are known to cause anaphylactic reactions include peanuts, nuts, shellfish, fish, eggs, milk and latex.  Exercise within a few hours of ingesting a food allergen has also been known to cause anaphylactic reactions.  Other common triggers include insect stings and bites.  Knowing if your child has a life-threatening allergy and knowing how to recognize and deal with life-threatening reactions is vital to children’s safety.

If your child has a life-threatening allergy, please tell us.  With your help we will do our best to prevent mishaps and to make sure that all of our students are safe, healthy, and able to concentrate on learning in the school setting.

If you would like further information about our school’s policies and practices regarding managing life-threatening allergies please contact the school.

Adapted from material developed by Middlesex-London Health Unit in collaboration with the Allergy Asthma Information Association and may be reproduced without permission provided that Middlesex-London Health Unit is properly acknowledged as the source.  Revised May 2007 by WECHU.

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