Province of British Columbia - Policy Re Allergic Children in Schools

Thanks for bringing this to my attention Cindy. BTW how did you e-mail me this exact thread? Not much of a policy is it? I'm sure if thing at our school had not gone the way they did, I would have had to put a lot of effort into correcting this.

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Cynde

cynde, if you go to the top of a thread, above Topic, it says something like UBB This To a Friend. You click on it and it really makes up an e-mail for you. You type in who you are and your e-mail address and then the name of the person you want it to go to and then their e-mail address. It automatically has the link for this particular topic in the copy/body of the e-mail. (Did that make sense - I'm not good at computer instructions?).

At any rate, no, it isn't much of a policy.
Because we're working with the Anaphylaxis Handbook in what would appear to be Ontario, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island, it's really comprehensive.

The thing I did find interesting about this policy was that it included environmental allergens as well and I don't think I've seen that before. So, for example, if you had a child that was allergic to perfume, you may have some recourse (if you knew you did).

I am really pleased that things are going well for you with your school for your child.
That's the most important thing. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

I just find it personally interesting, for some reason, to find out what other provinces have in place for PA children and then if I post it here, hopefully it can provide other members with some information. Also, the good thing about a link is at least you could contact the Ministry of Education through the link and voice your concerns about their policy (or lack thereof) should you be so inclined.

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

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I am going to be brutally honest here.

I have worked at over 100 schools in BC. In MY experience, I have never seen a plan of action in place for a PA kid. I have seen Epi Pens locked up in the office, and there is a medical alert board on the wall in every school, but that is IT. There could be plans that the 1st aid people know about, but not the general staff. And for ME, now also a PA/TNA person, it's a bit unnerving.

By plan of action, I mean something that all staff are aware of-and info by the phone, just in case. I have seen this for medically fragile students, but never a PA child.

[This message has been edited by KarenH (edited February 08, 2003).]

Why are all the BC parents being so passive. The other parents at our school do have their kids meds locked up, the key is in the office in a drawer, so everyone knows where it is. I certainly wouldn't stand for that. Which is why our school is peanut free, my son carries his epi-pen, all the staff are trained, even teachers who have nothing to do with him, and his picture and emergency procedures are posted in the office and his classroom.

Karen, what district are you in? Or what districts? Sounds like you've been a sub at some point in your career?
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Cynde

[This message has been edited by cynde (edited February 09, 2003).]

KarenH., is it possible that you have never seen a policy in place for any PA child in any of the schools because there has never been one developed (I'm trying to be clearer). When I tried to find the information I did tonight, I did do it fairly quickly because I knew what I was looking for. But when I first did the search of the Ministry of Ed website and typed in the word Anaphylaxis, it came up with nothing. I ended up typing in Allergies and that's how I got the information I did.

So, if I were a PA parent in B.C. like I was four years ago. I phone my local school board and here, in Ontario, there was school board policy in place that enables my son to have a "peanut free" classroom. This was before I had the computer or the internet and certainly the knowledge that I do now. But, I'm a parent in B.C. 4 years ago and call my school board and find out that no, really there isn't any policy unless I make one up.
"Yes, we do have some pretty shoddy guidelines, but you'll have to tell us what you would like us to do for your child".

That's all well and good. That's what our American friends do each time one of their PA children enters the school system.

But in Canada? Why doesn't the province of British Columbia's Ministry of Education have something to deal with anaphylaxis in the schools (i.e., the Anaphylaxis Handbook I keep referring to that is used by Ministry of Eds in Ontario, Alberta, and P.E.I. - those are the only ones I know about, there are probably a lot more).

Since I did post the link in this thread and they probably do have a contact us button on their website, I am going to be contacting the B.C. Ministry of Education and asking them why they don't have a comprehensive school board policy for dealing with anaphylactic children in their schools.

Yes, we are the parents of the PA children entering the schools. But, I'm sorry, should ALL of the responsibility fall on our shoulders to ensure that our children are safe in school? Perhaps the answer is yes, but my soul, what an uphill battle for any parent in B.C. that doesn't have a peanut free school (cynde, you are so lucky).

I know from personal experience (as you all know [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/rolleyes.gif[/img] ) that I have a difficult enough time ensuring that my son gets to go to school and our province has a province wide policy re anaphylaxis in the schools.
This is simply shameful.

cynde, that's the other thing. You very kindly e-mailed me your son's emergency medical plan after Jesse had his anaphylactic reaction at school. At the time, I thought you were American, even though I'm sure you told me you were Canadian. Why? Because I didn't think a Canadian would have to write up their own emergency medical plan for their child. I didn't have to. It is part of the paperwork that I am given at the beginning of each school year as soon as I mention anaphylaxis.

Now, as far as Jesse's written school plan, that's a totally different story and I don't believe there are a lot of Canadians doing that. We basically don't have to with school board policy in Ontario (and again, Alberta and P.E.I. that I know of).

It is difficult enough for a regular parent to send their child to school and learn how to do all of the things that you're *supposed* to do when your child goes to school for the first time. But, in B.C., you also have to basically know everything that our American friends know to ensure that your child will be safe.

The only reason I have difficulty with that is because it is NOT the same in other provinces in Canada.

Please, American members, I mean no disrespect by whining about a province that doesn't have proper guidelines re anaphylaxis when I read about here what he** some of you go through to simply get your children in the door of the school. I am simply aghast because Canada, as a country, is perceived to be so much more progressive re PA and yet, here we have a very large province that has no policy in place whatsoever. Compare that to I believe, the smallest province in our country, Prince Edward Island and their absolutely outstanding policy.

I'll be e-mailing them (as if they'll give a toss, but worth it just 'cus I'm so ticked off [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/mad.gif[/img] )

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

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Cindy, the plan I e-mailed you was above and beyond the forms I had to fill out. I didn't think they were comprehensive enough, and they were just stuck in a binder with all the other medical info forms. I wanted something with his picture on it to be posted in the office and on his classroom wall for quick reference. The classroom wall thing is very helpful for subs. Plus the forms didn't have room for everything I wanted to include.

I guess I should get off my lazy arse and start rattling some heads higher up in the education system in our province, but I just feel like I'm always battling. As the PAC president at my school I spend at least 10 hours a week dealing with crap and that is just when nothing is going on. We start an event or something and my time just disappears. There have been days where I am at the school longer than the teachers. I just seem to have very little energy left.

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Cynde

cynde, I can well understand you being tired and not wanting or feeling the need to do more. That's okay. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] I wouldn't beat myself up about it.

Here, in Ontario, we are given medical emergency forms with a space provided for the child's picture. In Jesse's last two schools, they even took a picture of him with their digital camera so that it would be extremely current. This is posted in the office, along with any other children who may be asthmatic or have other medical conditions.

I know my girlfriend in Stayner, her 7 year old son started to suffer from migraines and she had to fill out the same emergency medical forms so that the school could give her son some Tylenol should he so require it.
It also had the place for his picture.

I just don't get it. If we have such comprehensive policies re anaphylaxis in the schools in Ontario, Alberta and P.E.I. (the only provinces that I have researched), why not B.C.?

Can I ask - did you being on the P.A.C. have anything to do with your son's school becoming peanut free, or was it already without any input from you?

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

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In a round-a-bout way I think me being on the PAC had something to do with it. I was the president and we had a new principal, so her and I had a lot of meetings and got to know each other very well in a short time. When I approached her about becoming peanut free, I said "I'm coming to you strictly as a parent now, this is what I need for my son".

She knew I was not not a nut case with an agenda (not that other parents are, I just wonder sometimes from the treatment they get, that the administrators may think that), and she knew I was intelligent enough to handle this with her and she asked me to educate her and the staff, so they could properly educate the students and parents. I think our relationship helped us work together, as a team, not against each other.

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Cynde

cynde, that's excellent [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] I'm really pleased that it did work out for you. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

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Cynde [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

If you would like to know what districts I was/am in, you can e-mail me. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] I have subbed for a lot of my career, which explains the amount of schools I've been in. However, that being said, I made it a practise of mine to review the medical board "just in case". I have never, ever been to a peanut free school or a peanut free classroom. I do know that now one school in our district is peanut free. There have been MANY kids that I've known of though with life threatening allergies. What usually happens with kids with life threatening conditions is there is a form on the wall beside the phones, stating the procedure if the child has a seizure, etc. Or it's presented at a staff meeting. I have never, ever seen this for a PA child. The picture on the wall could be helpful, but I never know all the kids in the school. If I found this child on the playground, I would have no idea. (although now I may, being more educated about allergies myself)

"But, I'm sorry, should ALL of the responsibility fall on our shoulders to ensure that our children are safe in school? Perhaps the answer is yes, but my soul, what an uphill battle for any parent in B.C. that doesn't have a peanut free school"

I agree. I haven't had any anaphylaxis reactions to PN/TN yet, but I have to say that it is un nerving even for an adult to WORK in schools that don't really have something in place. It took months to get my picture on the Medical board, and even then I just did it myself. And if both medical people at my school are away, I have made sure that the teacher I work with knows where my Epi Pen is.

KarenH., I have to go back to wondering if because there is really no policy re anaphylaxis, or not a comprehensive one like there is in other provinces, if PA parents in B.C. simply don't know what they *should* be doing to have their PA child's picture in the office of the school. Do you know what I mean?

As I said above, when Jesse started school, I didn't have the internet or a computer and certainly not the wealth of information that I do now.

I remember attending the first meeting with his JK teacher and being told that he would be sitting beside other children eating pb.
I thought, okay, he's not going to school. But, he was such an outgoing, social child and I didn't want him to stay home until he had to legally go to school in Grade 1.

In walking home from the school that day, all of a 20 minute walk, I managed to settle down enough to realize that I could at least call the school board and see if they had something in place re PA children in the schools.

Again, this was without help from anyone, as I didn't know any other PA parents, PA children, didn't have the computer or the internet. I simply thought, okay, call the school board.

Now, I was extremely fortunate in that school boards in Ontario DO have a policy re anaphylaxis in the schools. This meant that I spoke with the superintendent in charge of such things and that started the ball rolling. I learned that Jesse had the *right* to a "peanut free" classroom and we went from there.

But, if I was in B.C., in the same position, and even if it light bulbed in my head to call the local school board, when I did, they would basically come up with nothing for me or my PA child.

I understand that this happens in America on a daily basis. I understand that it is the sole responsibility and all of the responsibility does fall on PA parents in America to get their children into school safely.

I couldn't believe the other night, when I pulled off the policy re allergies that we actually had a large, well known province in Canada whereby you basically had to do the same thing as you do in America. Write up your own policy and then attempt to get it implemented. I am stunned and shocked.

Again, to our American friends, it might appear as though we are whining. However, when you know that other Canadian provinces, such as Ontario, have peanut free classes, PA children have the *right* to them, then it just makes you kinda shake your head.

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

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Karen when I checked your profile to send you an e-mail, their was no address? Could you e-mail me, mine is in my profile. Thanks

I actually know of two peanut free schools in BC, ours and the one my nieces go to, I wonder if you were referring to one of them, Karen.

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Cynde

Simply re-raising. Trying to get all of the provinces together for one day. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

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