Food Allergies in Schools

At a glance

  • A food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly responds to food as if it were harmful.
  • The body’s immune response can be severe and life threatening.
  • There is no cure for food allergies.
Two students eating lunch.

Why it's an issue

Food allergies are a growing food safety and public health concern in the United States.

  • An estimated 1 in 13 children (8%), or 2 students per classroom, are affected with food allergies.
  • At least 2 in 5 children (40%) have been treated in the emergency department for food allergy reactions.
  • There is no cure for food allergies.
  • Strict avoidance of the food allergen is the only way to prevent a reaction.

When immediate care is needed‎

Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe allergic reaction that may cause death.

Fast facts

The immune system normally protects people from germs. In people with food allergies, the immune system mistakenly responds to food as if it were harmful.

The symptoms and severity of allergic food reactions can differ among people. Symptoms and severity can also be different for one person over time.

Early and quick recognition and treatment can prevent serious health problems or death. Eight foods or food groups account for most serious allergic reactions in the United States:

  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Crustacean shellfish
  • Wheat
  • Soy
  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts

Responding to food allergy emergency

It is not always easy or possible to avoid certain foods. Staff in schools, out-of-school time, and early care and education programs (ECE) should develop plans for food allergies. The plans should outline how to prevent an allergic reaction and respond to a food allergy emergency, including anaphylaxis.

What CDC is doing

CDC along with the U.S. Department of Education, several federal agencies, and many stakeholders developed Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs. The guidelines have information and recommendations for five priority areas. Each priority area should be addressed in each school’s or ECE program’s Food Allergy Management Prevention Plan:

  1. Ensure the daily management of food allergies in individual children.
  2. Prepare for food allergy emergencies.
  3. Provide professional development on food allergies for staff members.
  4. Educate children and family members about food allergies.
  5. Create and maintain a healthy and safe educational environment.

Resource‎

CDC Toolkit helps schools implement the Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies—to prevent and manage severe allergic reactions in schools.

Resources

Print
Content Source:
Division of Adolescent and School Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
  • Gupta RS, Warren CM, Smith BM, et al. The public health impact of parent-reported childhood food allergies in the United States. Pediatrics. 2018;142(6):e20181235.
  • Boyce JA, Assa’ad A, Burks AW, et al; NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy in the United States: report of the NIAID-sponsored expert panel. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(6 Suppl):S1–S58.