Management of a child with allergies in education and childcare relies on communication between parents, schools, and clinicians.
Maria Said, CEO of Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, says allergies in schools are relatively well managed in Australia, and it starts with finding a knowledgeable healthcare professional who you can trust.
The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Action Plan is a medical document, that provides clear and evidence-based information to recognise and manage an allergic reaction. The document needs to be completed and signed by the treating doctor or nurse practitioner.
Dr Katie Frith is a paediatric immunologist and allergist at Sydney Children's Hospital.
“There are a number of different Action Plans, and they are all available free to download from the ASCIA website. The common Action Plan you’ll probably hear about is often the ‘red action plan’, so that’s the Action Plan for anaphylaxis, and that’s to be provided if you have been diagnosed with a food allergy and prescribed an adrenaline injector. There is also a ‘green action plan’, to be provided to children who haven’t been prescribed adrenaline injectors but still at a risk of an allergic reaction.”
Action Plans are free to download from the ASCIA website and translated versions are also available.
Parents are also required to provide any medication outlined in the action plan.
Click on the player above to listen to this information in Punjabi.
