Dear Parents/Guardians

Austins Ferry Primary School cares about the safety and well-being of all our students.
Many of you will know someone who is affected by anaphylaxis, a life threatening allergic reaction.

Our school does its best to be an allergy aware school. Staff have had training in severe allergy management and we have implemented lots of strategies to help keep students at risk of anaphylaxis as safe as we can.

We now have a number of students at our school who live with the risk of anaphylaxis to foods and insect stings. Whilst these children are being taught to care for themselves at an age appropriate level, we ask that you help us educate your child on the importance of:

• Not sharing food with others
• Washing hands after eating
• Seeking out an adult if they think their friend with allergies is sick.

Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life- threatening. It must be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment and urgent medical attention.

We can never totally eliminate the risk of an anaphylaxis but we can all do things that will help lessen the risk.

Please consider the children with food allergy when packing your child’s lunch or when sending in food for any occasion, including school excursions.

Class groups that have students with a food allergy such as peanut or egg, may receive a class note asking parents to not send in food options such as peanut butter sandwiches or egg sandwiches as young children can be messy eaters and not contain their food. Children will be asked to wash their hands after eating and upon returning inside from play breaks.

We thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students with allergies safe at school.

Emma Atkinson

School Health Nurse