How to include students with food allergy in school life

Lessons and activities

All children should be able to do the same activity together. This means that children with food allergies might have to do the activity a little differently but should not have to be separated from the rest of the class.

To make this possible, avoid all activities that contain a child’s food allergen. Some examples include:

• If a child is allergic to wheat, do not use modelling clay made with wheat
• If a child is allergic to milk, do not plan an activity that involves empty milk bottles or cartons, because they could still contain small amounts of milk.

Cooking or food science classes:

• Teachers should speak with parents or guardians and older children before cooking classes and activities using food.
• Teachers should tell all children not to share food with others that they have cooked at school, including during morning tea, lunch breaks and after school.

School trips and excursions

Children with food allergies should not miss school trips, excursions, or camps because of their food allergies.

Details of the trip should be discussed in advance with the parents of the child with food allergies (and the child if appropriate) to allow parents to raise any concerns about safety or inclusion and give everyone time to assess risk and work on ways to reduce it.

For more information see our camp page.

Note that some remote or overseas trips may not be suitable for students with multiple food allergies or allergies to staple foods. The school must speak with parents (and the child if appropriate) early when planning overseas trips to talk about ways to try to make it safe for the child to go on the trip.

Mealtimes

• Students with food allergies should wash their hands before eating.
• Young children with food allergies should sit at a table with their friends who are ‘tidy eaters’ or not eating the child’s food allergens.
• Young children must be supervised when eating.
• Students should not share food or drinks.
• Children should wash their hands after eating, especially if they have eaten food another child is allergic to.

Non-food rewards

There are ways to reward children for good behaviour or great schoolwork that do not involve food. Non-food rewards can be enjoyed by every child.

• ‘Passes’ for a classroom privilege, such as a no-homework pass or a special classroom job.
• Extra time to play a fun game.
• Prize boxes where children can pick a toy, puzzle, sticker, or other non-food reward.
• Recognition on a classroom wall, in an announcement, or in a note home to the child’s family.

Not sharing food at school

It is so important to talk to your children, including teens, about not sharing food. Research conducted by the NSW Anaphylaxis Education Program in 2020 shows that most food allergic reactions that occurred at school, the student shared food, or was given food by another student or a casual staff member.

Remind children who have food allergies to avoid sharing food with or accepting food from their friends.

You could talk with them about things they can say if someone says to them something like, ‘just have some, it’s fine for your allergies’. They could say:

• ‘No thanks, I’m full’
• ‘No thanks, I’ve just eaten’
• ‘No thanks, I don’t really like that flavour of chocolate’
• ‘No thanks, I have allergies and I have my own food’.

It’s also good to make sure they have lots of safe food that they like so that sharing or accepting food is not so tempting.

You could ask your child’s teacher to speak with the class about the dangers of sharing food. Your child does not need to be pointed out in this discussion as there are often several children with different dietary needs.

Allergy awareness education

Peer and community education is important to support students with food allergies and may help reduce the possibility of children missing out or being bullied.

See our Be a MATE page for more information.

Identifying children with allergies

• A&AA recommends that children with allergies are not pointed out or made to feel different in the classroom or the playground by using different coloured hats or badges.
• School staff should have up-to-date training in the recognition, management and emergency treatment of anaphylaxis.
• Teachers supervising classes or groups should be made aware of the children with severe allergies.
• Some high school students who do out of school activities may choose to wear a medical identification bracelet.

Anxiety

Some children who are at risk of anaphylaxis feel anxious. This anxiety can be made worse if a child is forced to wear their adrenaline injector (such as in a bum bag or cross body bag). This anxiety can result from the fear that they need the adrenaline injector on them, instead of near them at all times. It may also result in the child always thinking about their potential for a severe allergic reaction.

Let them know:

• That the adrenaline injector is nearby and available if needed.
• That children (and adults) at risk of anaphylaxis need to do some things differently to others sometimes
• That they can still do lots of things that others can do

For more information see our anxiety page.

Bullying

Most children at risk of anaphylaxis have friends who look out for them but sometimes children with allergies can be left out or bullied. Bullying can be teasing a child, leaving them out, chasing them with the food they are allergic to, tricking them into eating a particular food or threatening them with their allergen.

Bullying is not OK and must be taken seriously. Any attempt to harm a student with an allergy in the school setting must be treated as a serious incident and dealt with in line with the school’s anti-bullying policy.