Food Allergy Guidelines

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

• Notify your school of your child's food allergy
• Teach your child to recognize personal food allergy symptoms and to be proactive in managing food allergies while away from home
• Complete and return to your school the IslandWood Student Release Form with all necessary information regarding the food allergy at least two weeks before the trip
• Have your child's physician complete and sign a Food Allergy Action Plan and attach it to the IslandWood release form
• Send along any medication required by the Food Allergy Action Plan with your child's teacher
• Check to see that all medication is unexpired, the correct dosage, prescibed to the child and, in the case of EpiPens/Twinjects, not previously used
• Review IslandWood's School Overnight Program menu and ingredients 
• After reviewing the menu and reading "IslandWood's Responsibilities" below, decide if you would prefer to provide all food for your child's stay at IslandWood
• If sending food, notify IslandWood Registrar ahead of time to make arrangements for storage and preparation of food

School's Responsibilities

• Send all IslandWood Student Release Forms and Food Allergy Action Plans to IslandWood Registrar at least two weeks before trip
• Notify the IslandWood Registrar if any last-minute information regarding food allergies comes forward.  Fax to IslandWood updated release forms and action plans
• Relay food allergy information to all teachers and school chaperones going on the IslandWood trip
• Make sure the child has immediate access to food allergy medications throughout the field day and in the lodge at night
• If they have not had previous training, train all adults attending IslandWood on the use of EpiPens/Twinjects prescribed to students
• Do not bring any food or allow students to bring any food to IslandWood except for lunch on Monday

Student's Responsiblities

• Notify an adult if you suspect you may have eaten food containing the allergan
• Seek help from an adult or another student (if an adult is not present) if a reaction is suspected
• Do not share or trade food or utensils with other students
• Sit at an allergy-free table if your parent has requested one
• If parent has packed food for your trip to IslandWood, eat only that food
• Practice proper hand-washing techniques before and after eating

IslandWood's Responsibilities

• Review all allergy information submitted by parents on IslandWood Student Release Forms
• Alert all involved staff (kitchen, instructors, campus hosts, etc.) about any food allergies
• Do not serve any food with the allergan to the allergic child.  Offer alternative meals that do not contain the allergan
• Keep lunches and snacks with the allergan out of the child's field group if the allergic child will be eating IslandWood food or if the allergy is a contact allergy.  
• Provide an "allergan-free" table to the student if requested
• Remind all students to wash hands or use antiseptic wipes after meals
• Remind schools that adults & children may not bring food from home to IslandWood except for Monday lunch or through prior arrangement with Registrar
• If parents have arranged ahead of time to send child's food to IslandWood, provide a separate storage area and refrigerator in the kitchen
• Provide separate and properly cleaned utensils, dishes, and counter surfaces for the preparation of allergan-free food
• Maintain an active membership in the Food Allergy and Anaplylaxis Network (FAAN) and follow FAAN's guidelines for food preparation and serving
• Stay current on alerts provided by FAAN
• Have all field instructors carry epinephrine and oral antihistamines
• Have epinephrine and oral antihistamines available in the kitchen and administration building
• Keep staff current on the Wilderness First Aid training, which includes training on food allergy reactions and injectable epinephrine administration
• Make sure no food allergans are included in any arts projects
• Notify parents if their child has a suspected reaction
• Activate EMS for any severe allergic reaction
• Call 911 or transport to medical facility any child who received epinephrine for a suspected allergic reaction