Food allergies are part of the modern day school room. Ask just
about any teacher, principal and of course school nurse (for
schools that still have one) and they'll tell you that food
allergies are among their many daily concerns when it comes to
the well-being of students. Nationwide Children's Hospital
estimates that one in 20 children have a food allergy, so it's
no wonder that school personnel must address this very serious
health concern. It's serious because a food allergy reaction can
result in anaphylaxis, a critical and potentially life-
threatening condition. Unrecognized and untreated, such a
condition closes the airway and shuts down vital organs. In
January a seven-year-old girl in Virginia died from an
anaphylactic reaction to her peanut allergy while at school. By
the time emergency crews arrived, the first grader was in
cardiac arrest. In April, the governor of Virginia signed a bill
requiring public schools to adopt and implement policies to
possess and administer epinephrine. Epinephrine can