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To explain to Chum Creek Primary School parents, carers, staff and students the processes and procedures in place to support students diagnosed as being at risk of suffering from anaphylaxis. This policy also ensures that Chum Creek Primary School is compliant with Ministerial Order 706 and the Department’s guidelines for anaphylaxis management.
This policy applies to:
Chum Creek Primary School will fully comply with Ministerial Order 706 and the associated guidelines published by the Department of Education and Training.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that occurs after exposure to an allergen. The most common allergens for school-aged children are nuts, eggs, cow’s milk, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, sesame, latex, certain insect stings and medication.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of a mild to moderate allergic reaction can include:
Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, can include:
Symptoms usually develop within ten minutes and up to two hours after exposure to an allergen, but can appear within a few minutes.
Treatment
Adrenaline given as an injection into the muscle of the outer mid-thigh is the first aid treatment for anaphylaxis.
Individuals diagnosed as being at risk of anaphylaxis are prescribed an adrenaline autoinjector for use in an emergency. These adrenaline autoinjectors are designed so that anyone can use them in an emergency.
All students at Chum Creek Primary School who are diagnosed by a medical practitioner as being at risk of suffering from an anaphylactic reaction must have an Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan. When notified of an anaphylaxis diagnosis, the principal of Chum Creek Primary School is responsible for developing a plan in consultation with the student’s parents/carers.
Where necessary, an Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan will be in place as soon as practicable after a student enrols at Chum Creek Primary School and where possible, before the student’s first day.
Parents and carers must:
Each student’s Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan must include:
Review and updates to Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plans
A student’s Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis in consultation with the student’s parents/carers. The plan will also be reviewed and, where necessary, updated in the following circumstances:
Our school may also consider updating a student’s Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan if there is an identified and significant increase in the student’s potential risk of exposure to allergens at school.
A copy of each student’s Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan will be stored with their ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis in the Staff Room, together with the student’s adrenaline autoinjector. Adrenaline autoinjectors must be labelled with the student’s name. Spare adrenaline autoinjectors will be available.
To reduce the risk of a student suffering from an anaphylactic reaction at Example School, we have put in place the following strategies:
[Note: for guidance on the appropriate number of general use adrenaline autoinjectors for your school, refer to chapter 10 of the Department’s Anaphylaxis Guidelines]
Chum Creek Primary School will maintain a supply of adrenaline autoinjector(s) for general use, as a back-up to those provided by parents and carers for specific students, and also for students who may suffer from a first time reaction at school.
Adrenaline autoinjectors for general use will be stored in the Staffroom and labelled “general use”.
The principal is responsible for arranging the purchase of adrenaline autoinjectors for general use, and will consider:
In the event of an anaphylactic reaction, the emergency response procedures in this policy must be followed, together with the school’s general first aid procedures, emergency response procedures and the student’s Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan.
A complete and up-to-date list of students identified as being at risk of anaphylaxis is maintained by Office Manager and stored at centrally in the Staffroom. For camps, excursions and special events, a designated staff member will be responsible for maintaining a list of students at risk of anaphylaxis attending the special event, together with their Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plans and adrenaline autoinjectors, where appropriate.
If a student experiences an anaphylactic reaction at school or during a school activity, school staff must:
Administer an EpiPen or EpiPen Jr (if the student is under 20kg)
Call an ambulance (000)
If there is no improvement or severe symptoms progress (as described in the ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis), further adrenaline doses may be administered every five minutes, if other adrenaline autoinjectors are available.
Contact the student’s emergency contacts.
If a student appears to be having a severe allergic reaction, but has not been previously diagnosed with an allergy or being at risk of anaphylaxis, school staff should follow steps 2 – 5 as above.
[Note: If in doubt, it is better to use an adrenaline autoinjector than not use it, even if in hindsight the reaction is not anaphylaxis. Under-treatment of anaphylaxis is more harmful and potentially life threatening than over-treatment of a mild to moderate allergic reaction.
This policy will be available on Chum Creek Primary School’s website so that parents and other members of the school community can easily access information about Chum Creek Primary School’s anaphylaxis management procedures. The parents and carers of students who are enrolled at Chum Creek Primary School and are identified as being at risk of anaphylaxis will also be provided with a copy of this policy.
The principal is responsible for ensuring that all relevant staff, including casual relief staff, canteen staff and volunteers are aware of this policy and Chum Creek Primary School’s procedures for anaphylaxis management. Casual relief staff and volunteers who are responsible for the care and/or supervision of students who are identified as being at risk of anaphylaxis will also receive a verbal briefing on this policy, their role in responding to an anaphylactic reaction and where required, the identity of students at risk.
The principal is also responsible for ensuring relevant staff are trained and briefed in anaphylaxis management, consistent with the Department’s Anaphylaxis Guidelines.
The principal will ensure that the following school staff are appropriately trained in anaphylaxis management:
Staff who are required to undertake training must have completed:
Staff are also required to attend a briefing on anaphylaxis management and this policy at least twice per year (with the first briefing to be held at the beginning of the school year), facilitated by a staff member who has successfully completed an anaphylaxis management course within the last 2 years. Each briefing will address:
When a new student enrols at Chum Creek Primary School who is at risk of anaphylaxis, the principal will develop an interim plan in consultation with the student’s parents and ensure that appropriate staff are trained and briefed as soon as possible.
The principal will ensure that while students at risk of anaphylaxis are under the care or supervision of the school outside of normal class activities, including in the school yard, at camps and excursions, or at special event days, there is a sufficient number of school staff present who have been trained in anaphylaxis management.
This policy was last updated on June 2021 and is scheduled for review in June 2025.
The principal will complete the Department’s Annual Risk Management Checklist for anaphylaxis management to assist with the evaluation and review of this policy and the support provided to students at risk of anaphylaxis.
