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Madison Metropolitan School District Seeing Highest Rates Of Food Allergies Ever

District Health Coordinator: Food Allergies Among Students On The Rise For Last 15 Years

By
Kira Stewart-Watkins (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

The Madison Metropolitan School District is seeing the highest rates of food allergies among students ever.

More than 680 students had life-threatening food allergies last year. In 2008, that number was nearly 300.

Food allergies among students have been on the rise for the past 15 years, Sally Zirbel-Donisch, district health services coordinator, said.

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“I remember when I started working in the schools, maybe we had one student with an EpiPen, now it’s not unusual for nurses to have 20 to 30, if not more than that, in a health office,” Zirbel-Donisch said.

The increase has led to stronger food allergy guidelines, including additional training for staff, more detailed forms handed out to parents and teachers, and information available in classrooms explaining how to prevent anaphylaxis — a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, Zirbel-Donisch said.

Teachers and nurses also meet with parents to discuss a child’s allergies and the emergency action plan for a reaction.

Zirbel-Donisch also stresses prevention.

“Nurses and staff really work together to promote a safe, physical environment so that we can prevent food allergy, anaphylaxis from happening,” she said. “An ounce of prevention is much better than having to worry about a student having a bad anaphylaxis.”

State law requires school staff and volunteers to be trained to administer medication such as EpiPens.