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Back-to-School Tips and Tools

September 1, 2021  |  Action-Plan, Adolescents, Advocacy, Allergies, Allergy, Allergy-Awareness, Anaphylaxis, Anaphylaxis-Action-Plan, Asthma, Awareness, Back-To-School, Blog, Board-certified-allergist, Caregivers, Checklists, Children, Civil-Rights, Civilrights, Compassion, Coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID19, Education, Elementary, Emotional, Emotions, Empathy, Epinephrine, FAACT, Family, Field-Trips, Food, Food-Allergies, Food-Allergy, Food-allergy-blog, FoodService, Guidelines, High-School, Know-The-FAACTs, Label, Medic-Alert, Medical-Alert-ID, Medical-ID, Medication, Medications, Parent, Preparedness, Quarantine, Readlabels, Resilience, Resources, Safety-Tips, School, School-Lunch, School-Nurse, School-Resources, Secondary, Self-Care, Student, Support, Teens
BTS

by Caroline Moassessi, FAACT\'s Vice President of Community Relations

Finally, the much-anticipated return to school has arrived. Many of our children are back-to-school in person, leaving some of us with a large heaping of mixed feelings. We\'re elated and scared all at the same time. Joyful that children are returning to their school communities, recess, and friends. Anxious about emerging variants of Covid-19 and rising cases nationwide. Including our general concerns about food allergy at school, one might say we have quite a bit on our shoulders.

Yet as food allergy parents, we are natural hunters and gatherers of information.

Food Allergy parents are superheroes that do some of their best work during the back-to-school season! Why? They know how to ask questions, reach out for support, and problem solve.

To help you navigate a solid start to the school year, we\'re sharing our top tips and tools to help you leap over tall buildings and into the classroom!

FAACT\'s Top 5 Back-to-School Tips and Tools

Tune In. Listen to FAACT\'s Roundtable Podcast in the car, taking a walk, or folding laundry to discover short conversations with experts in the fields of school nursing, behavioral health, psychology, the law, and nutrition. Here are few recent podcasts:

Beat the Blues. Heading back to school during a global health crisis can raise anxiety for students and their parents. To support you through this transition period, FAACT has created resources specifically for you! Visit our Back-to-School Blues webpage for tips and tricks for addressing feelings, anxiety, and nerves.   

Be Prepared. The best tool in the anaphylaxis toolbox is staying ready for an allergic reaction! Download FAACT’s no-cost Signs and Symptoms of Anaphylaxis Poster to share with teachers, coaches, and family. Speak for your child if they can\'t talk during an emergency by checking out FAACT\'s partnership and discount with Medic Alert to explore the benefits of your child wearing medical ID jewelry. 

Offer Tools to Schools. Managing students during the pandemic is an overwhelmingly tough job for schools to handle. Help your child\'s school out by sharing resources that might come in handy! Offer the link to FAACT\'s Food Allergy Curricula for Schools. This tool kit includes a teacher-designed PowerPoint presentation, lesson plans, and activities at no cost! In addition, educators can access FAACT\'s For Schools\' Staff Education Program to help raise awareness in schools.

Know Your Rights. At the start of the year, refresh yourself with a visit to FAACT\'s Food Allergy Civil Rights Advocacy Center. Learn about protections available to your student. And if you need assistance, FAACT can help you problem-solve solutions. 

FAACT wishes everyone a healthy and happy start to the new school year. Remember, you are never alone; your FAACT family is here walking alongside you!