FARE Releases Expert Recommendations for Managing Food Allergies in K-12 Schools

McLEAN, Va.—November 21, 2024—FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education), the leading nonprofit organization engaged in food allergy education and advocacy—and the largest provider of charitable support for food allergy research in the U.S.—today announced the release of the Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS) report, providing evidence-based, actionable recommendations for how schools can provide a safer environment for children living with food allergies. 

The new resource was developed to complement the 2013 Voluntary Guidelines for Food Allergies in Early Care and Education Programs, representing the first update to those guidelines since they were introduced more than 10 years ago. 

Statistics underscore the urgency of the availability of this resource: 

• 1 in 4 life-threatening food allergy reactions in the school setting happen in people without diagnosed food allergies (including faculty and staff).
• In a 2-year period, about 2 out of every 5 students with food allergies have at least one allergic reaction while attending school or school-related activities.
• Approximately 8 in 10 food allergy reactions in schools happen in the classroom.
• About 1 in 3 children have been bullied, teased, or harassed about their food allergies; of these, 1 in 5 reported that teachers and/or school staff were the perpetrators. 

"Schools are responsible for the safety of all students, including those with food allergies. This resource is a vital companion to the guidelines introduced more than 10 years ago and is essential for K-12 schools to ensure a safer, more inclusive environment," said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of FARE. "Children with food allergies often face anxiety, isolation, and bullying. Furthermore, they may encounter their allergen in environments beyond the cafeteria, so it’s critical that schools have an actionable resource to reduce accidental exposures, improve recognition and treatment of food allergic reactions, and ensure that students with food allergies can participate fully and safely in all school activities.” 

Key Recommendations Include: 

1. All school staff should receive food allergy training at least once per year. This training should be aimed at reducing accidental food allergen exposure, helping staff identify food allergy reactions, and improving staff ability to respond quickly and appropriately to food allergy reactions and emergencies. 
2. Schools should assign the task of identifying and documenting students with known food allergies to specific staff members. Although school nurses are the obvious choice for this responsibility, schools without nurses can consider assigning this task to administrators or school counselors. At minimum, each known student should have an Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan (AAEP) on file at the school.
3. All schools should maintain an uninterrupted supply of unassigned epinephrine (also called stock epinephrine or undesignated epinephrine) that is prescribed for general emergency use. Immediate treatment with epinephrine can be lifesaving and is recommended for the treatment of confirmed or suspected severe allergic reactions. According to the 2013 School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, all schools are legally allowed to have unassigned epinephrine for use in any person experiencing an allergic reaction.

The FAMS recommendations were led by FARE, developed by a 15-member FAMS Advisory Council, representing key organizations listed here and have been reviewed and endorsed by organizations including School Superintendents Association; American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology Association; and the National Association of School Nurses. The report was funded by the CDC, in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A webinar presenting the details of the report will be held Thursday, Nov. 21st from 3-4 PM ET. Registration details can be found here. For more information, please visit FARE at www.foodallergy.org.