How does the childcare service manage an allergic reaction?
Before your child starts or if they develop a food allergy after they start childcare, talk with staff and ask:
What do staff do if they think that a child is having an allergic reaction?
- Staff should follow the ASCIA Action Plan (or ASCIA First Aid Plan if the child does not have an ASCIA Action Plan) which lists the signs to look out for, what to do and in what order. They should call for help from other staff.
Who is trained in managing an allergic reaction, including how to give an adrenaline injector?
- Not all staff are trained in managing allergic reactions or using an adrenaline injector. Not all CEC staff have to be trained and often they are not trained (see Anaphylaxis Training for CEC staff below). Check that the people looking after your child with food allergy know what to do.
Do they move the child or bring help and medication to where the child is?
- CEC staff should position a child having anaphylaxis as shown on the ASCIA Action Plan. The adrenaline injector should be brought to where the child is so the staff member looking after them can give it if needed.
When will parents be told if their child has an allergic reaction?
- CEC staff should follow the ASCIA Action Plan and call the parents as stated on the plan. For example, for anaphylaxis calling the parents is step 4. Steps 1-3 should be done before step 4.
Do they hold anaphylaxis drills to practice managing this type of emergency?
- Drills can help show gaps in emergency response procedures for anaphylaxis.
Adrenaline (epinephrine) injectors at childcare
Adrenaline injectors (for example EpiPen® Jr) should be stored in an unlocked room in an unlocked cupboard or on a shelf out of reach of the children, but easily available to all CEC staff.
Each child’s adrenaline injector should be stored with their ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis.
All CEC staff should know where to find the adrenaline injectors.
Adrenaline injector for general use/first aid
CEC services do not have to have a general use adrenaline injector although this is recommended in the Best Practice Guidelines.
- A general use adrenaline injector should be kept with an ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis in an easy to get to unlocked location.
- A general use adrenaline injector can be used when:
- A child has a severe allergic reaction but had not been diagnosed as being at risk of anaphylaxis so does not have their own prescribed adrenaline injector.
- Further doses of adrenaline are required for a child before the ambulance arrives.
- The prescribed injector is out of date or is not given properly.
For more information about adrenaline injectors for general use visit the ASCIA website.
Anaphylaxis training for CEC staff
National regulations do not require all CEC staff to be trained in anaphylaxis and not all anaphylaxis training is the same quality.
First aid training can vary and does not always include all the information on how to manage allergic reactions as recommended in the Best Practice Guidelines. First aid training will not include ways to reduce risk of allergic reactions in CEC settings. Some CEC staff think that they have had anaphylaxis training, but they have only had first aid training.
The Australasian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) has free anaphylaxis training for CECs. The training covers prevention, recognition and emergency treatment of anaphylaxis. This course has ACECQA approval.
To access the free ASCIA online anaphylaxis training click here.
Food service training for CEC staff
It is recommended that all staff who are involved in ordering, preparing and serving food in CEC services complete All About Allergens training for food allergy. This is different to the anaphylaxis training which teaches staff how to prevent and manage anaphylaxis. The food service training teaches people how to prepare and serve food safely.
To access the free online All About Allergens training click here.
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