Anaphylaxis at School

It is a parent’s and teacher’s worst nightmare. A severe allergic reaction occurs at school and the child dies! On March 7, 2013, a first grader named Ammaria died at a Virginia school after breaking out in hives and experiencing difficulty breathing at recess. The possible trigger was peanut allergy. The school had no medication to treat her. The story as reported by CNN can be found at http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/04/health/virginia-allergy-death Our prayers are with her family and friends.

All schools should have self-injectable epinephrine available to treat anaphylaxis. A program sponsored by Mylan Specialty, LP (makers of EpiPen and EpiPen, Jr.) makes it possible for every eligible school to have up to 4 FREE epinephrine auto-injectors. For more information go to: http://www.epipen4schools.com/ Currently, New York is the only state without a law protecting student’s rights to carry and use anaphylaxis medications at school.

If your school desires a presentation on the early recognition and appropriate treatment of anaphylaxis, contact an ACE (Anaphylaxis Community Expert) in your area. In Charlotte, NC, Dr. Khiani is an anaphylaxis community expert and can provide education at your school. Contact him at 704-817-2022. For more on the ACE program go to: http://www.aanma.org/2010/12/find-an-anaphylaxis-community-expert-ace/