Tips for Managing Allergies on School Camps and School Excursions

How to keep your school camp or school excursions allegery safe (and fun!) with our guide for schools and teachers.

With severe allergies on the rise, schools need to be informed about the risks to children in their care – including on school camps and excursions. How can you ensure your school camp is safe for your students?

Allergies are on the increase in Australia, and present a particular challenge for teachers and caregivers on school camps and school excursions. However, having a robust management plan in place can ease fears for parents, children, caregivers and staff alike.

Allergies in general are on the increase worldwide and food allergies have also become more common, particularly peanut allergy in preschool children. It is estimated that around one in 20 children in Australia have a food allergy. Children who have one family member with allergic diseases (including asthma or eczema) have a 20 to 40 per cent higher risk of developing allergy. If there are two or more family members with allergic diseases, the risk increases to 50 to 80 per cent.

So what is an allergy? Allergies are an overreaction of the body's immune system to a specific part of a food, usually a protein. These proteins may be from foods, pollens, house dust, animal hair or moulds. They are called allergens. The word 'allergy' means that the immune system has responded to a harmless substance as if it were toxic.

The goal for schools is to ensure that the environment for children with allergies on school camps or school excursions is safe - so they can participate in games and activities without fear or embarrassment.

Anaphylaxis, or anaphylactic shock, is a sudden, severe and potentially life threatening allergic reaction to food, stings, bites or medicines. Peanuts, other nuts, insect stings and some medicines are the most common allergens that cause anaphylaxis. Within minutes of exposure to the allergen, the person can have potentially life-threatening symptoms, which include:

• Difficult or noisy breathing
• Swelling of the tongue
• Swelling or tightness in the throat
• Difficulty talking or a hoarse voice
• Wheeze or persistent cough
• Loss of consciousness or collapse
• Becoming pale and floppy (in young children).

Several factors can influence the severity of anaphylaxis, including exercise, heat, the amount of food eaten and how food is prepared and consumed.

Getting started – tips for a safe school camps

Being prepared for allergic reactions on camp is imperative. The following tips will help you prepare for all eventualities:

Develop an emergency response plan tailored specifically for your camp. The plan should include a range of risk minimisation strategies that take into account the needs of individual students, the type of camp taking place, the time of year and the camp location.

Ensure staff and caregivers are trained in recognition and management of allergic reactions and the use of adrenaline autoinjectors (such as an epi-pen).

Communicate with parents well in advance of the camp to discuss any allergies or other medical conditions their children may have. This is an ideal opportunity to discuss the school's allergy and anaphylaxis policy and how it will be applied on camp.
Ensure parents provide the school with written information about their child's allergies and other medical conditions. The information should include an up-to-date personalised emergency action plan for allergic reactions and an asthma plan. Parents should also supply an emergency medical kit containing clearly labelled medications, adrenaline auto-injectors if required and simple written instructions on when to administer medications – and the correct dose – should an allergic reaction occur.

Ensure camp cooks are equipped to deal with meal preparation for children with allergies. If appropriate, ask parents to supply meals and snacks for their child.

Have a class session before you leave for camp to discuss the importance of not sharing food and drinks, ensuring hands are clean before meals and checking with teachers and caregivers before eating that the meal they have been given doesn't contain problem ingredients.

Consider developing a 'buddy program' among students, to add an extra layer of care and support for students with allergy.

Going on school camps with children with allergies adds another layer of care that teachers and caregivers need to take into account. But having robust management systems in place will ensure that children with allergies can enjoy the camp environment with confidence.