A survey of school ’s preparedness for managing anaphylaxis in pupils with food allergy

Conclusion: At the time of the survey, schools ’ preparedness in the region, did not meet safety standards recommended by national and international organisations. Although schools have shown eagerness in accessing training in the management of anaphylaxis, tailored training for schools is not yet widely available. There is now an urgent need to design feasible training strategies that create a safe environment for allergic pupils across all UK schools.What is Known:• One quarter of the severe allergic reactions take place for the first time while at school with some of them being fatal.• School staff is ill-prepared in the management of anaphylaxis. Access to formal training is not widely available.What is New:• School staff remains unconfident in managing the severe allergic child.Training in the management of anaphylaxis is scarce, and when available, it does not offer the required depth to cover the holistic needs of allergic pupils.• Schools would welcome generic adrenaline autoinjectors and a national policy with central funding which would describe step by step the necessary measures for the management of anaphylaxis.
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research