Thoughts on FCPS New FA Management Guidelines?

[MamaMia]

I haven't read it entirely yet.  Just wondering your thoughts.

http://www.fcps.edu/dss/osp/healthservices/AllergyHandbook.pdf

[twinturbo]

My response would be the same to this as the National School Board Association document MamaZu posted below. Factually very encouraging, good on the emergency management portion but not at all willing to address food in the classroom and curriculum as very real dangers and very real medical barriers to education as non-affected peers.

For instance Appendix A is titled Parent Responsibility which has the following. It needs some work.

If the student has a severe allergy to food:

Leave a bag of “safe snacks” in your student’s classroom so there is always something your student can choose from during an unplanned special event.

Be willing to provide safe foods for special occasions, e.g., bring in a treat for the entire class so that
your student can participate.

Be willing to go on your student’s field trips if possible and if requested.

It is important that children take on more responsibility for their own allergies as they mature. Consider teaching them to:

o Communicate to an adult when not feeling well.
o Read labels and be aware of the probability of cross-contamination. o Carry own epinephrine autoinjector.
o Administer own epinephrine autoinjector

It was also quite heavy handed on signing away any medical privacy rights with the allergist that it was required for the school to talk directly with the allergist to come up with an emergency plan.

The portions on EAPs seem to be getting better all the time yet there's precious little on addressing extraneous food as a problem itself. Short on time can't go more in depth.

[MamaMia]

My response would be the same to this as the National School Board Association document MamaZu posted below. Factually very encouraging, good on the emergency management portion but not at all willing to address food in the classroom and curriculum as very real dangers and very real medical barriers to education as non-affected peers.

For instance Appendix A is titled Parent Responsibility which has the following. It needs some work.

If the student has a severe allergy to food:

Leave a bag of “safe snacks” in your student’s classroom so there is always something your student can choose from during an unplanned special event.

Be willing to provide safe foods for special occasions, e.g., bring in a treat for the entire class so that
your student can participate.

Be willing to go on your student’s field trips if possible and if requested.

It is important that children take on more responsibility for their own allergies as they mature. Consider teaching them to:

o Communicate to an adult when not feeling well.
o Read labels and be aware of the probability of cross-contamination. o Carry own epinephrine autoinjector.
o Administer own epinephrine autoinjector

It was also quite heavy handed on signing away any medical privacy rights with the allergist that it was required for the school to talk directly with the allergist to come up with an emergency plan.

The portions on EAPs seem to be getting better all the time yet there's precious little on addressing extraneous food as a problem itself. Short on time can't go more in depth.

Funny, I felt same.  Also, a sign on a door doesn't "help with risk reduction".  I know many parents who's child was given Recees/peanut snacks etc even as the "Peanut Free Zone" sign was on the door. 

Yes, great emergency procedure list.  Loved that.  However it had the overwhelming feeling of just response rather than risk reduction.  True risk reductions address food in unnecessary areas like classrooms.  Need to echo this: allowing food in a classroom is blocking access to education for a food allergic child.  When a child is in a wheelchair, the schools must take down barriers to learning; in this case, create ramps and larger doorways.  For a food allergic child, the disability is caused by the food itself.  It's not necessary to use food in the classroom for rewards or manipulative.  Celebrations are not part of the education and using food in celebration is therefore not necessary. 

[maeve]

My response would be the same to this as the National School Board Association document MamaZu posted below. Factually very encouraging, good on the emergency management portion but not at all willing to address food in the classroom and curriculum as very real dangers and very real medical barriers to education as non-affected peers.

For instance Appendix A is titled Parent Responsibility which has the following. It needs some work.

If the student has a severe allergy to food:

Leave a bag of “safe snacks” in your student’s classroom so there is always something your student can choose from during an unplanned special event.

Be willing to provide safe foods for special occasions, e.g., bring in a treat for the entire class so that
your student can participate.

Be willing to go on your student’s field trips if possible and if requested.

It is important that children take on more responsibility for their own allergies as they mature. Consider teaching them to:

o Communicate to an adult when not feeling well.
o Read labels and be aware of the probability of cross-contamination. o Carry own epinephrine autoinjector.
o Administer own epinephrine autoinjector

It was also quite heavy handed on signing away any medical privacy rights with the allergist that it was required for the school to talk directly with the allergist to come up with an emergency plan.

The portions on EAPs seem to be getting better all the time yet there's precious little on addressing extraneous food as a problem itself. Short on time can't go more in depth.

Funny, I felt same.  Also, a sign on a door doesn't "help with risk reduction".  I know many parents who's child was given Recees/peanut snacks etc even as the "Peanut Free Zone" sign was on the door. 

Yes, great emergency procedure list.  Loved that.  However it had the overwhelming feeling of just response rather than risk reduction.  True risk reductions address food in unnecessary areas like classrooms.  Need to echo this: allowing food in a classroom is blocking access to education for a food allergic child.  When a child is in a wheelchair, the schools must take down barriers to learning; in this case, create ramps and larger doorways.  For a food allergic child, the disability is caused by the food itself.  It's not necessary to use food in the classroom for rewards or manipulative.  Celebrations are not part of the education and using food in celebration is therefore not necessary. 

But this situation still exists even in my own county with its food allergy guidelines. 

[twinturbo]

Little thin on the risk management that's a much more sophisticated analysis. I'm a little  in need of  .

The other jump out to me was the emphasis of a public school doc placed on a student reading labels. While for the FA child that is indeed a tremendously important life skill for what purpose in the course of being educated is this vital to the learning process?

[ajasfolks2]

I haven't read it entirely yet.  Just wondering your thoughts.

http://www.fcps.edu/dss/osp/healthservices/AllergyHandbook.pdf

Next thing you know there will be a freaking SOL ("Standards of Learning" -- that is Virginia's statewide mandated knowledge/testing) section that is aimed at coercing the kids into being willing to sign away rights as well . . . you know, to prepare them for being PARENTS in FCPS as well.

Sheesh.


It is geared towards NOT holding the school district accountable, all the while couched in supposed "learning" goals for the children.

FCPS is so bleeping afraid to tell the cupcake mommies to find something else to do.

And there are LTFA cupcake mommies in FCPS who are more than willing to sell out the CHILDREN WITH THE DISABLING CONDITION just so they can have their classroom parties and birthdays.

Pardon me while I go vomit.