In order to provide a safe environment for your child at school next year, we need a letter (or one of the attached form) below from your child’s physician regarding his/her food allergy when school year begins. The letter should include the following:
- Child’s allergy or food restriction
- Reaction caused by the allergy or food
- Food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet, and the food or choice of foods that must be substituted.
This letter must be submitted at the beginning of each year.
USDA regulations require substitutions or modification in school meals for children whose disabilities (or severe food allergies) restrict their diets. A child with a disability must be provided substitutions in foods when that need is supported by a statement signed by a licensed physician. Please complete the Food Service Notification form below.
When a child has submitted a physician’s letter, the information is entered into the dietary computer. Then, when the child signs in with his/her identification number before getting lunch, the allergy warning will light, alerting cafeteria workers to the need for an alternative food or lunch. This system also enables the dietitian to plan an alternative lunch for those with allergies prior to the lunch period.
Many of the students with food allergies pack their lunches daily to avoid the problem of a reaction; however, should your child forget his/her lunch and you are unable to bring one, he/she would be sent to the cafeteria for a lunch. For this reason, it is important that we have a letter on file, notifying us of food allergies.
If your child has asthma by itself or relation to their food allergies and requires an inhaler, please completed the asthma action plan below. This is required whether or not the inhaler is to be kept at school or they self- carry an inhaler.
Please contact Gina Burdick, District Nurse, at 740-587-8129 to discuss questions or concerns.