Severe Allergic Reaction
Anaphylaxis is a sudden, life threatening, severe allergic reaction. The most dangerous symptoms include breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure or shock. While Midlothian ISD cannot guarantee an allergy-free environment at school, the district is committed to doing everything possible to ensure the safety of every child who has allergies. Common examples of potentially life threatening allergies are those to foods or stinging insects. Other allergic reactions may also occur to medications, latex or while exercising. The emergency treatment is epinephrine, which is usually supplied in epinephrine auto-injectors (example: EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® or Auvi-Q®). Midlothian ISD has developed guidelines to manage students with these life threatening allergies so that they may safely participate in the educational process. Students who are at risk for developing anaphylaxis are entitled to carry and self-administer their anaphylaxis medications (epinephrine auto-injectors) while at school or a school event, if they have met the legal requirements below:
The medication and the self-administration must be authorized by a physician or licensed health care provider.
The student must demonstrate to the physician, other health care provider and to the school nurse, if available, the skill level necessary to self-administer the medication. Proper Prescription Medication Forms are completed by physician, parent and student and are on file with the school nurse.
Midlothian ISD has an Allergy Action Plan that has the components of the legal requirements included within it. Please contact your school nurse before enrollment or at the start of the new school year, to obtain all the proper paperwork needed that will help ensure the safety of your student with an allergy. Parents of children with known anaphylaxis are expected to provide an individual supply of emergency medication to the campus nurse.
(Including, But Not Limited To, Peanut Allergy)
Midlothian ISD food allergy management plans will be individualized to all students who have food allergies. Once notified of the student's allergy, a working partnership with students, parents, student's physician, school nurse and other Midlothian ISD personnel, will be initiated. Upon receipt of signed medical plans and parental consent, the IHP is developed. The first to be addressed is the emergency response. This ensures that a team of at least three (3) principal-designated staff members, who work daily with the affected student, are trained to recognize an allergic reaction, have the rescue drugs readily available and quickly treat the student. This will include training of these staff members annually or more frequently as the school nurse deems necessary. In the case of severe life threatening allergies, the school principal will collaborate with the school nurse to send letters to other parents of the class requesting parents to voluntarily refrain from sending the allergen food for celebrations or parties.
Depending on physical constraints within the school, the principal may designate a food-allergy friendly area or lunch table. The Food and Nutrition Service department will flag the child's account through the point-of-sale system. Hand washing guidelines to staff and students are enforced. The custodial department will be instructed to use commercial wipes and cleaners that remove the allergen from the hard surfaces. The transportation department will also be notified, and trained to recognize the specific reactions to life threatening allergies, if applicable.
Food Allergy Action Plan Special Meal Request