Approximately 1.3 million Canadians, or 4% of the population currently live with food allergies, and more than 50% of Canadians know someone with a life-threatening allergy. Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction. It can develop within seconds of exposure to a trigger, with symptoms including itching, hives, or swelling of the lips or face. The throat may begin to close, choking off breathing and can even be life-threatening.

Living with the potential of anaphylaxis can be a challenge. Current estimates are that food allergies affect as many as 6% of young children. Children and youth must learn how to avoid the allergen that causes their reaction. They must also be prepared to manage an unexpected reaction. Schools need to assist in helping keep Canadian children safe.

It is a balancing act for parents of children with life-threatening allergies – wanting to protect their child from exposure to their allergens without depriving them of normal childhood activities. Most parents teach their children to take responsibility early, since it is generally felt that the sooner children learn to manage their own allergic condition, the more easily they will handle the teen-age years, when peer pressure and the need to conform place additional stresses on them.

- Canada Safety Council

North Glenmore Elementary, like the vast majority of schools across Canada, is a Nut Aware School.  6% of young children (www.canadasafetycouncil.org) means that on average every classroom at NGE has 1-2 students with a threatening food allergy.  Our young children with these allergies are still developing their skills to manage their condition and are not fully capable of doing so until they are closer to their teenage years.   

To support our Nut Awareness at NGE, Parents are asked to:

- Carefully read food labels of items being sent to school

- Encourage your children to not share their lunch with others

- Connect with your child's teacher if you are sending treats and are unsure of student allergies in the classroom

- Label any food items that are using nut-alternatives (ex. Pea-Butter - these products usual come with stickers that you can use to label an item as "nut-free")
**If supervisors/staff are unsure if a product has nuts in it, they will err on the side of caution and set the food aside for the day**

Parents of children with food allergies are asked to contact our office to provide us details and support us in creating the appropriate safety plan for the child.