Peanut & Tree Nut Allergies

1. Peanut & Tree Nut Allergies What this means to students in a NUT FREE classroom

2. Your classmate has a nut allergy • About 3 million American kids suffer from food allergies, and that number is on the rise. • An ALLERGY is characterized by an OVERREACTION OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM to a substance that is swallowed, breathed into the lungs or touched.

3. Fast Nut Allergy Facts • The immune system overreaction can result in symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat. In more SEVERE cases, it can result in rashes, hives, lower blood pressure, and difficulty breathing.

4. It’s your job to be a P.A.L. • Never take food allergies lightly. It’shard to believe that foods most of us eat and enjoy ever day can be harmful to others. But it’s true!! So if you learn that a friend has a food allergy, take it very seriously. • Don’t share food with friends who have food allergies. Never offer kids who have food allergies anything from your lunch or snack. Why? Because it may contain an ingredient that’s harmful to them. Even if you think the food is safe, it’s still not worth taking the chance.

5. It’s your job to be a P.A.L. • Wash hands after eating. This is very important, since just a small amount of food on your hands can get on desks, books, playground equipment, and many other things. And if someone who is allergic touches these things, they may have a reaction. The best way to prevent this is simply to wash your hands after eating. You’ll probably have fewer colds, too!!

6. It’s your job to be a P.A.L. • Ask what your friends are allergic to and help them avoid it. Learning what someone is allergic to is easy – just ask them! Finding out if foods are safe to eat is another story. Even foods that have ingredient labels can be tricky, since food manufacturers sometimes use scientific names instead of everyday ones.

7. It’s your job to be a P.A.L. • Always check the ingredients of foods that you are bringing into the classroom. Your classroom is Peanut and Tree nut free. So that means NOTHING at all with any type of peanuts or tree nuts. • Remember…doing without a snack or treat is far better than a trip to the hospital for your friend.

8. It’s your job to be a P.A.L. • Please, ask your parents to avoid making lunches or snacks that contain nuts and tree nuts. • For birthday parties and celebrations, remind your parents to celebrate with treats that are prepackaged so that we can read the labels carefully. Some suggestions are: Fruit Roll-ups, Skittles, Smarties, Starburst, Twizzlers, Pop tarts, Jell-o cups, Rold Gold Pretzels, Doritos, Sunchips, Smart brand white cheddar popcorn, Teddy grahams, and Goldfish. See nurse Liz for a larger list.

9. How YOU can be a P.A.L. • How do you know when someone is having an allergic reaction? Here are some of the symptoms: • Vomiting • Swelling of the face and lips • Difficulty breathing • Coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes • Skin that’s bumpy, red, and itchy

10. Get help IMMEDIATELY!! • If a friend who has food allergies is showing signs of a reaction, please tell your teacher or any nearby adult IMMEDIATELY! • Your quickness can actually help save a life!!! • Remember, an allergic reaction can happen anytime, or anywhere. Reactions can occur several minutes after eating. So always be on the alert.

11. Always remember the rules for your classroom • Absolutely • Positively • Without a doubt • No way • Never, ever, ever, ever Please don’t bring any peanut or tree nut products into your classroom. If you do……someone could die!!