It is estimated that up to 400,000 (2%) Australians, including 1 in 20 children suffer from food allergies and some of them will experience a life-threatening (anaphylactic) reaction.
Mild to moderate allergic reaction
• Tingling of the mouth
• Hives, welts or body redness
• Swelling of the face, lips, eyes
• Vomiting, abdominal pain (note these are signs of a severe allergic reaction if the person has insect allergy)
Severe allergic reaction- anaphylaxis
• Difficult/noisy breathing
• Swelling of the tongue
• Swelling or tightness in the throat
• Difficulty talking or hoarse voice
• Wheeze or persistent cough
• Persistent dizziness or collapse
• Egg
• Milk
• Peanut
• Tree nuts (cashew, almond, pistachio etc)
• Wheat
• Sesame
• Soy
• Fish
• Crustacea (prawns, lobster, crabs etc)
Peanuts are the leading cause of severe allergic reactions, followed by tree nuts, shellfish, fish and milk. Adrenaline/epinephrine is the first line treatment for severe allergic reactions and can be administered via auto-injector, called the EpiPen®.
To learn more about anaphylaxis and food allergies, go to www.allergyfacts.org.au and www.allergy.org.au
As the only way to manage a food allergy is avoidance, the school has implemented several strategies to help prevent a severe allergic reaction. 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 child with food allergy when packing your child’s lunch or when sending in food for any occasion, including school excursions. Foods that ‘May contain traces of nuts or nut products’ are fine for the non- allergic students to consume at school as long as they do not share food.