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Food Allergies and Children
Food allergy is a public health concern amongst children today. According to a survey taken of 400 school nurses, 94 percent of those school nurses have at least one student with a potentially life-threatening food allergy, according to the Journal of School Nursing. According to the same survey, the average public school in the U.S. currently has ten students with food allergy.
"Studies show that school settings can be risky for children with food allergies because food allergens appear not just in school cafeterias, but through classroom celebrations, crafts, and math or science projects," said Anne Munoz-Furlong, FAAN founder and CEO. "The School Food Allergy Program helps schools develop and implement strategies to minimize the risk of a reaction and safely manage children with food allergies in the school setting. We are confident that these training programs help prevent allergic reactions and save lives."
Nearly 12 million Americans have food allergies and approximately three million children under the age of 18, or one in 25, are affected. Twenty-five percent of first-time reactions occur in schools.
Since there is no cure for food allergies, it is essential for all schools to have an action plan in place for managing food allergies and anaphylaxis.
The School Food Allergy Program is helping further fulfill FAAN's mission by educating more school administrators on food allergies and anaphylaxis, and the serious consequences of being unprepared for a food allergy incident.
To order your copy of the School Food Allergy Program, please visit www.foodallergy.org
More about food Allergies from the Parent Place Blog
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ABOUT FAAN
Founded in 1991, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in food allergy information. FAAN, a nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, VA, is dedicated to increasing public awareness about food allergy and anaphylaxis, to providing education, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies. The organization has just under 30,000 members in the United States, Canada, and 62 other countries.
FAAN provides information about food allergy and educational resources to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. Educational materials published by FAAN are reviewed for medical accuracy by the FAAN Medical Advisory Board, which is comprised of 14 of the country's leaders in food allergy science and medicine. In addition to printed materials, FAAN also sponsors awareness programs such as Food Allergy Awareness Week, Food Allergy Conferences, and the Mariel C. Furlong Awards for Making a Difference as well as fundraising walks across the country. Educational materials and information about special programs are also available online at www.foodallergy.org, www.fankids.org, and www.fanteen.org.
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