Procedure - Food Allergy Procedure
Section: Human Resource Procedures
Procedure Owner: Ignition633 Ministries Nigeria Human Resources
Procedure Name: Food Allergy Procedures
Origination Date: December 2024
Purpose
To ensure the safety and well-being of children with food allergies by preventing exposure to allergens, recognizing allergic reactions, and providing prompt and appropriate treatment.
Scope
Includes identifying and documenting children's food allergies, preventing exposure to allergens, training staff to recognize and treat allergic reactions, communicating with parents and emergency services, and maintaining records of allergies and incidents to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
Definition
Food: is any substance consumed to provide nutrients and energy necessary for the growth, maintenance, and functioning of the body.
Allergy: is an overreaction of the immune system to a substance (allergen) that is typically harmless to most people.
Food Allergy Procedure
Food allergies are a growing problem among children attending preschool and daycare. A food allergy is an abnormal body response to a certain food. The human immune system fights infections and other dangers to keep them healthy. Food allergy occurs when your immune system decides food is a "danger" to your health.
Each child with a food allergy should have a care plan in place. It should be prepared for use and submitted alongside the child’s admission information document by the child’s primary health care provider, to include:
- A written list of the foods to which the child is allergic.
- Instructions for steps that need to be taken to avoid that food.
- A detailed treatment plan for addressing an allergic reaction, including the names, doses, and methods of giving any medications. The plan should include specific symptoms indicating the need to give one or more medications.
The child’s caregivers and teachers will receive training based on the child’s care plan, show competence in, and carry out measures for:
- Preventing exposure to the specific foods to which the child is allergic
- Recognizing the symptoms of an allergic reaction
- Treating allergic reactions
Staff who notice any allergy symptoms should inform parents of the reaction. Staff should call emergency services whenever medication is given, even if the child responds well.
Intolerance means that a child has trouble digesting a particular food. Foods that commonly cause intolerances are milk, gluten, and certain dyes (food with artificial colors). Intolerances may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain but do not cause allergic reactions or anaphylaxis.
Food Allergy Diagnoses AND Food Intolerances
A physician or other health care worker diagnoses food allergies. Consider asking for medical documentation of food allergies, including:
- Symptoms to look for
- Actions to take when symptoms appear
- Recommended medications (e.g., antihistamines or epinephrine auto-injector)
- Instructions on giving the medication.
Symptoms of food allergies and intolerances often overlap. Sometimes, families believe their child has a food allergy when it’s an intolerance.
Caregivers should understand whether a child has an intolerance or an allergy so that staff alertness and emergency procedures can focus on the most at-risk children.
Asking families to provide a list of food intolerances and preferences separately from food allergies shows that staff take their needs seriously. Openness to accommodating intolerances and food preferences creates trust with families and focuses emergency procedures on the children who need them.
Older children can develop allergies, too. Although infants can’t tell you about their allergic symptoms, older children might be able to. Here are some things that young children might say when they are allergic to a food:
- It feels like something is poking my tongue.
- My tongue/mouth is tingling/burning.
- My tongue/mouth itches.
- My tongue feels like there is hair on it.
- My mouth feels funny.
- There’s a frog (something stuck) in my throat.
- My tongue feels full/heavy.
- My lips feel tight.
- It feels like there are bugs (to describe itchy ears).
- My throat feels thick.
- It feels like a bump is on the back of my tongue/throat.
Food Allergy First Aid
Recognize Symptoms:
Allergic symptoms may start within a few minutes to an hour after eating. Each child may have different symptoms. These can include:
- Hives or skin rash
- Swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing
- Stomach cramps or stomach pain
- Face swelling
- Eczema
- Throat itching or tightness
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Dizziness or fainting
Take any complaints of discomfort or unusual symptoms seriously, especially if a child has known food allergies.
Respond Promptly
- If a child shows signs of a severe life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), act quickly.
- Administer epinephrine if available, following the manufacturers or doctor’s instructions. Most epinephrine auto-injectors are administered in the thigh.
- Call emergency services immediately. Even if symptoms improve after administering epinephrine, medical attention is still necessary as symptoms may return.
- Stay with the child and monitor their condition until medical help arrives.
Provide Comfort
- Reassure the child and keep them calm.
- Help them assume a comfortable position, such as sitting or lying down with their legs elevated if they feel lightheaded or dizzy.
- If the child has difficulty breathing, encourage them to remain still and avoid unnecessary movement.
Support Breathing
- If the child is having difficulty breathing, assist them in using their prescribed asthma inhaler or other prescribed respiratory medication, if available.
- If the child becomes unresponsive and stops breathing, begin CPR immediately while awaiting emergency medical assistance.
Communication with Parents or Guardians
- Promptly inform parents or guardians of any allergic reaction incidents and provide a detailed report of the response and follow-up actions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This procedure will be reviewed annually and is subject to change. Any changes will be communicated to all employees promptly.
For any questions or further assistance regarding this policy, employees should contact the HR department at hr.nigeria@ignition633.org.