Atlanta, GA – May 22, 2013 – Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc.(FAKA) recently joined Governor Nathan Deal as he signed a proclamation announcing May 12 – 18, 2013 as Food Allergy Awareness Week in the state of Georgia.

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta and members of the community joined Governor Deal during the FA Kids 2013 event. 

In attendance were:

Governor Nathan Deal
Karen Harris, President, Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc.
Connie Trent, Health Services Facilitator (Nurses), Forsyth County Schools, GA
Susan Acker, Director, Student Support Services, Forsyth County Schools, GA
Benjamin Karp, President, Georgia CPR

“Our goal with Food Allergy Awareness Week in Georgia is to encourage all Georgians to recognize the value and importance of food allergy management & anaphylaxis prevention and awareness.” stated Karen Harris, President of Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta. “Schools are an important partner to us. In Forsyth County, stock epinephrine has already been used to treat students who have shown symptoms of anaphylactic shock. We urge all Georgia school districts to provide training to educators and implement stock epinephrine in all of their schools.”

Forsyth & Fannin County Schools are the only counties in Georgia to date that has implemented stock epinephrine in all of the schools. Forsyth County Schools also trains educators to comprehend basic food allergy facts, avoid food allergens, recognize a reaction, and enact emergency protocol.

Georgia CPR partnered with Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta to expand education and outreach efforts to help support Georgia schools with emergency procedures in treating anaphylaxis and in helping with the management of students with food allergies. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta President, Karen Harris, and Medical Advisor, Dr. Luqman Seidu, trained GA CPR instructors during a recent in-service anaphylaxis training.

Georgia is one of approximately 30 states to enact statewide legislation allowing schools to stock epinephrine (approximately 20-25 percent of epinephrine administrations in the school setting involving students or staffers whose allergy was unknown at the time of the event). In addition to helping those whose epinephrine auto-injector isn’t immediately accessible during a reaction, this legislation helps to save the lives of those who experience an anaphylactic reaction and do not have a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta has worked with legislators to improve GA’s stock epinephrine law (HB 337) and supports organizations working on mandates in other states.

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc. is dedicated to helping Georgia educators better manage allergies and anaphylaxis in schools and daycares by providing training programs, educational materials and community support. Eligible Georgia schools can now qualify to receive free EpiPens for schools. All schools are eligible for an additional FREE set for the 2013-14 school years, if implemented by the fall.

Food allergies are on the rise and there is no cure. A CDC report released in May 2013 estimates that “between 1997 and 1999, food allergies affected about 3.4 percent of American children. By 2009 to 2011, that number rose to 5.1 percent – an increase of 50 percent in just over a decade."

About Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta supports families who manage food allergies, educates those who care for our children, and helps to create a safe environment in the local area for food allergic individuals. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta offers local meetings, trainings and events for Atlanta and Georgia communities. For more information, visit Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta website, Facebook page, email or call 404-512-7983.

Valentine's Day, like other holidays, can be a challenging time for food allergy families. 

School parties as well as community events have an abundance of food and sweet treats which can present dangers for those with food allergies.

“One in three parents report their children with life-threatening food allergies have experienced anaphylaxis on Valentine's Day”, according to a new study by Mylan Specialty.

This is a scary statistic and a reminder that we have to remain vigilant every day. 

Here are some tips to safely navigate through Valentine's Day.

• Always carry a two-pack of epinephrine with you at all times and make sure it hasn't expired. 
• Check your emergency allergy action plan and make sure it is up to date.
• Make sure teachers and caregivers know the symptoms of an allergic reaction, are on alert and are prepared to react in the event of a reaction.
• Ask questions in advance of the party and find out what kinds of food and treats will be served, if any.
• For treats brought to school, be sure they have the label with allergens listed.
• For classroom Valentine exchanges, offer non-food related treats like pencils, erasers, finger puppets, stickers, and more penny exchange type items.
• Valentine's Day candy can be made in a different facility than regular candy of the same brand which poses a risk for cross contamination. Always read the label. If there is no label on the individual treat, then assume it is not safe for your child.
• If treats will be exchanged, check if the teacher will be sending home candy or if they will be eating in the classroom.
• Suggest a craft or game be played instead of focusing on food to celebrate the holiday.
• Volunteer to come in if there is a party and help with the party.
• Keep safe snacks in supply in the classroom (this helps for birthdays as well).

My daughter's teacher is not having a party in the classroom. I am providing nut-free mini-cupcakes for a small treat and the students will be exchanging Valentines to take home and open after school where I can check them. My daughter knows not to open her bag until we can look through it when she gets home.

Valentine's Day can be fun for kids with food allergies – you need to take extra precautions and plan ahead.

Resources

Kids with Food Allergies http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org

Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) http://www.foodallergy.org


Post by Jenni Hilton

Atlanta, GA – August 21, 2012 – Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc. is helping Georgia schools confidently care for students with food allergies by teaching them how to: comprehend basic food allergy facts, avoid food allergens, recognize a reaction, and enact emergency protocol using FAAN's Safe@School® program, an in-service training presentation.

Georgia is one of seven states to enact statewide legislation allowing schools to stock epinephrine (25% of first time reactions in children and adult staffers happen at school). In addition to helping those whose epinephrine auto-injector isn’t immediately accessible during a reaction, this legislation helps to save the lives of those who experience an anaphylactic reaction and do not have a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector.

1 in 13 children in the US have food allergies - roughly two students per class.

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc. is devoted to helping Georgia educators better manage allergies in schools and daycares by providing training programs, educational materials and community support. Eligible schools can now qualify to receive free EpiPens for schools.

Food Allergies are a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflict as many as 15 million Americans including almost 6 million children. Anaphylaxis Awareness Week is August 26 - September 1, 2012.

“Stock epinephrine has already been used to treat Georgia students who have shown symptoms of anaphylactic shock, and we are also seeing school policies improved as a result of our Safe@School® presentation” said Karen Harris, President and Founder of Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta. “By helping educators learn to manage students with food allergies and showing them how to help their facility become allergy aware, the risk of food allergy fatalities can be reduced in our schools and daycares.”

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta supports families who manage food allergies, educates those who care for our children, and helps to create a safe environment in the local area for food allergic individuals. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta offers local meetings, trainings and events for Atlanta and Georgia communities. For more information, visit Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta website, Facebook page, email or call 404-512-7983.

Resources:
School Advocacy
Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta
Food Allergy Statistics from FAAN, Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network
Food Allergies By The Numbers – FAI
Safe@School flyer - FAAN

The Right to Learn Education Advocacy - Jennifer Cardenas is a trained advocate from the Parent Leadership Support Project out of the Georgia Advocacy Office. 

We are excited to have her as a speaker this fall at Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta. 

Visit her FB page and website for additional information:, 

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta has scheduled 18 Safe@School in-service food allergy trainings for Georgia schools beginning in August, with additional trainings being updated weekly. To help with printing costs, resource folders, and donated materials, we are seeking printing companies, donations, and/or sponsorship to help with our school advocacy efforts. Please email info@fakidsatl.org, or visit our volunteer/donation page to support advocacy efforts today! Thank you!

From NorthFulton.com and the Forsyth Herald - Death of Young Man Brings Allergy Meds to Spotlight. 

Thank you, Donna Lowry, in your efforts to raise awareness on this important topic!. Epipens Could Save Students' Lives.

Five years after FAAMA was introduced in the U.S. Congress, FAAMA has finally passed as part of the food safety bill and is expected to be signed into law by President Obama. Read more HERE.

Kids with Food Allergies is a nationwide nonprofit organization offering online food allergy support groups for families raising children with food allergies.  KFA has now opened it's forums for free to registered families.  KFA has published several printable guides to help families manage food allergies, including KFA's Starter Guide to Parenting a Child with a Food Allergy:  
http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/guide_to_parenting_child_with_food_allergy.html

Would you like to help the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network earn money while doing your grocery shopping at Kroger? Please register your Kroger Plus card online at www.krogercommunityrewards.com, and designate FAAN as your chosen organization. Kroger will pay organizations based on their percentage of spending as it relates to the accumulated total spending of all participating Kroger Community Rewards organizations.  www.foodallergy.org