school

SCHOOL

Sending your food allergic child to school can feel overwhelming. With preparation, both you and your child can experience a positive school year. Below is an explanation of several written plans to accommodate the individual needs of your child.

Written Plans

EMERGENCY CARE ACTION PLAN
Also known as an Allergy Action Plan (AAP), Food Allergy Action Plan (FAAP), or an Emergency Care Plan (ECP). The ECAP is a is a form filled by your allergist or physician, detailing how to respond in the event a reaction occurs. The plan should detail symptoms of a reaction, how to respond appropriately to a reaction as well as how to respond to the reaction if the symptoms appear as anaphylaxis (the plan should detail this as well). The ECAP should also detail medications to administer, the dose, when to call 911, emergency contacts and more. Below are links to plans you may download from both FARE and LCPS.

FARE's ECAP: https://www.foodallergy.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/emergency-care-plan.pdf
LCPS's EAAP: https://www.lcps.org/cms/lib/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/127/AllergyActionPlan2017.pdf

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH CARE PLAN
The Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) is a health plan, detailing individual accommodations to keep your allergic student safe. This plan should assist in preventing a reaction and address each environment within the school.

ASTHMA ACTION PLAN
If your child has asthma, it is important to have it documented with the school. The Asthma Action Plan works similarly as the ECAP. It is a form completed by your allergist or physician, detailing how to respond if your child is showing signs of an asthma attack. This is especially important because children with food allergies are two to four times as likely to have asthma. This may increase the risk for a severe or fatal food allergy reaction.

SECTION 504 PLAN
A 504 Plan refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is a Federal law that provides protections to individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education. Developing a 504 plan may be helpful by documenting accommodations for your child to access services and activities provided by the school, as equally as his/her peers.

No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . . .

Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN
The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a written plan designed to meet the individual, educational needs of a student found with a disability. The criteria for a student with food allergies to be eligible for an IEP is complex. It is advised that you discuss options with an educational advocate.

EDUCATION ADVOCATE
At times, attending your child's meetings can become overwhelming. Feel free to contact LAN to review best practices and strategies. We will try our best to help you. If we cannot, we will refer you to an advocate that may be able to assist. You may also search the Council of Parents Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA) directory (linked below).

COPAA: https://www.copaa.org/page/Direct

REFERENCES
"Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, As Amended", Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act of 2008, https://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm#12102.
"Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools", Department of Education United States of America, December 2016, https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-resource-guide-201612.pdf.
"Food Allergy Facts and Statistics for the U.S.", Food Allergy Research and Education, April 2018, https://www.foodallergy.org/sites/default/files/2018-04/FARE-Food-Allergy-Facts-Statistics.pdf.
"Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities", U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 25 Sept. 2018, https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html.

Page updated 01/05/2019