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23 | Thursday, August 11, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Fall Registration Prevent and manage life-threatening allergies at school By Robert Ridge Whether eating in the lunchroom or playing team sports, navigating food allergies at school can sometimes be hard for kids. Symptoms of a food-allergy reaction can range from a mild, itchy rash to a rapidly progressing, potentially deadly attack called anaphylaxis (which involves a dangerous drop in blood pressure and swelling inside the throat)--and there's no way to predict the severity. The allergens most apt to cause these reactions are insect stings, latex and foods (peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, etc.). Food allergies in kids are a bigger problem today than ever before, having become more common, longer lasting and more severe. Approximately 2.5 million Canadians are allergic to at least one food. The incidence is highest among young children, with close to six percent affected by a food allergy, according to Food Allergy Canada. So what can you do to protect your severely allergic child at school? There's been growing awareness of the seriousness of severe allergies. For example, the Ontario government passed Sabrina's Law in 2005, which makes it mandatory for the province's publicly funded schools to have programs in place to protect kids at risk of anaphylaxis. It mandates that staff receive training in recognizing the symptoms and dealing with emergencies. Here are some tips for families struggling to keep their allergic children safe at school: 1. Maintain a constant line of communication with the school. You should inform school staff of your child's diagnosis and its cause. Many of them may be experienced in dealing with children who have allergies, however, it is still important to talk to them about the unique circumstances of your child's condition. Take the time to explain the primary triggers, how long a reaction takes to come on, how to deal with the reaction, how to calm your child and any other variables which you have discovered from parenting your child through a reaction. And remember to communicate with all potential caregivers - bus drivers, after-school program employees, athletic coaches, and babysitters all need to understand the proper protocol Continued on page 24 MUSIC LESSONS kulele U & l a c o V , s m u r Guitar, Piano, D Sign up today: ioN FeeS No ReGiStRatS No CoNtRaCt oN oNe PRiVate - oNe CoMe aLL aGeS WeL F GUitaRS! o N io t C e L e S hUGe choose from. nds to over 30 top bra DS, RieS, KeYBoaR o S S e C C a , S P aM LeS, and more! e L U K U , S M U R D lence in Educatio Excel n Pre-K (2.8 yrs) to Grade 8 Inquiry-based learning approach (Science, Tech., Engineering, Arts, Math) Gle~burnie Scªool Enriched Education for Active Minds STE A M ICE AND EXPERT SERV S REPAIRS S A L C D L R O W Studies include Global Awareness, Economics, Emotional Intelligence, higher order thinking skills `Arts' · Sports Before & After School Care 2035 Upper Middle Rd., East Oakville 905-257-3110 · theguitarworldoakville.com 380 Dundas St. E. (at Trafalgar Rd., in Longo's Plaza) (905) 338-6236 GlenburnieSchool.com