It is normal to feel a little anxious when your child starts daycare or school for the first time. As the parent of a child with severe allergies, you have many worries and questions: Will my child be safe? Will others know what to do in an emergency? Will my child's allergies be understood?

When you enrol your child, it is helpful to meet with the daycare supervisor, principal or your child's teacher to talk about their anaphylaxis policy and your child's allergy. Here are some points to consider:

• Do they know the signs and symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction? Review your child's Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan which includes your child's name, photograph, and specific allergy (e.g., peanut, bee sting). It should be shared with all teachers/caregivers and posted for quick reference.
• Is the staff trained how to use an auto-injector such as EpiPen® or Twinject®? Can they give it in an emergency?
• What is their policy about carrying epinephrine? Where is it stored? (It should be easy to get, not locked up). Your child should always carry an auto-injector labelled with their name if they are old enough to carry one.
• What is their policy around food? Will they be feeding your child? Do they control what foods are brought into the building?

To help prepare for a meeting with your daycare or school, write down your questions and list your concerns in order of importance. The daycare centre or school may not be able to act on all of your suggestions, so focus on the most important safety measures. Meet with your child's teachers and lunch room supervisors to discuss risk reduction strategies, such as:

• Not sharing food, utensils or containers.
• Cleaning all eating surfaces well.
• Placing food or snacks on a napkin rather than in direct contact with a desk or table.
• Getting children to wash their hands before and after eating.
• Providing safe treats for your child to be stored by the teacher for special occasions.
• Washing toys and balls often.
• Avoiding hidden allergens in different craft materials.

If you have concerns about specific situations, talk about them with your school or daycare. Be respectful and offer to help where you can.

For more information on anaphylaxis regulations and policies at school, see the Educators section.