Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc. is helping Georgia schools confidently care for students with food allergies by teaching them how to: comprehend basic food allergy facts, avoid food allergens, recognize a reaction, and enact emergency protocol using FAAN's Safe@School® program, an in-service training presentation.
Georgia is one of seven states to enact statewide legislation allowing schools to stock epinephrine (25 percent of first time reactions in children and adult staffers happen at school). In addition to helping those whose epinephrine auto-injector isn’t immediately accessible during a reaction, this legislation helps to save the lives of those who experience an anaphylactic reaction and do not have a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector.
One in 13 children in the U.S. have food allergies - roughly two students per class.
Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc. is devoted to helping Georgia educators better manage allergies in schools and daycares by providing training programs, educational materials and community support.
Food Allergies are a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflict as many as 15 million Americans including almost six million children. Anaphylaxis Awareness Week is underway through Sept. 1.
“Stock epinephrine has already been used to treat Georgia students who have shown symptoms of anaphylactic shock, and we are also seeing school policies improved as a result of our Safe@School® presentation” said Karen Harris, President and Founder of Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta.
“By helping educators learn to manage students with food allergies and showing them how to help their facility become allergy aware, the risk of food allergy fatalities can be reduced in our schools and daycares,” she said.
Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta supports families who manage food allergies, educates those who care for our children, and helps to create a safe environment in the local area for food allergic individuals. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta offers local meetings, trainings and events for Atlanta and Georgia communities. For more information, visit Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta website, Facebook page, e-mail or call 404-512-7983.
Resources:
- School Advocacy
- Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta
- Food Allergy Statistics from FAAN, Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network
- Food Allergies By The Numbers – FAI
- Safe@School flyer - FAAN
