3.9 Asthma and Allergies
Children accessing early years settings may have asthma or anaphylactic allergies. Both of these conditions can be life-threatening so it is essential that plans are implemented into the program through policies, protocol, and training to ensure all early years employees are prepared to prevent and manage any asthma symptoms or anaphylactic reactions. Licensed child care programs work with families and medical professionals to prepare and implement plans for children with asthma or life-threatening allergies.
Regulation
Anaphylactic Policy
39. (1) Every licensee shall ensure that each child care centre it operates and each premises where it oversees the provision of home child care has an anaphylactic policy that includes the following:
- A strategy to reduce the risk of exposure to anaphylactic causative agents, including rules for parents who send food with their child to the centre or premises.
- A communication plan for the dissemination of information on life-threatening allergies, including anaphylactic allergies.
- Development of an individualized plan for each child with an anaphylactic allergy who,
i. receives child care at a child care centre the licensee operates, or
ii. is enrolled with a home child care agency and receives child care at a premises where it oversees the provision of home child care.
(Ontario Regulation 137/15, under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. © King’s Printer for Ontario, 2015)
Anaphylaxis
Life-threatening allergies are becoming more commonplace in our society. Many children enrolled in early years settings have life-threatening allergies to foods and other allergens. Anaphylaxis may develop during the time a child is enrolled in a program. A child may not be exposed to a particular allergen until they are older. Children may have an anaphylactic reaction to something such as bee stings, latex, or a food they have not tried previously. Many licensed child care programs will request that families try all foods at home first, before introducing them in an early years setting. This reduces the chances of an anaphylactic reaction occurring in a group care setting.
Watch the following video to learn more about anaphylaxis:
Video: What is Anaphylaxis by Food Allergy Canada [4:51]. Transcript available on YouTube.
Children with life-threatening allergies will have a plan developed for their care when they enroll into licensed child care and school. This plan will be developed between the family, medical professionals, and early years administrative staff. Training will be provided for educators, along with the plan being made available in each classroom where the child will be present, in the kitchen for the dietary planner, and in an emergency kit to be taken outdoors or on field trips. This plan will accompany an Epi-Pen that must be accessible at all times. In licensed child care the anaphylactic plan will be hung on the wall, visible to anyone who enters the learning space. This will provide details around how to support the child in the event of an anaphylactic reaction.
Download (PDF)
Asthma
Licensed child care operators must have a medical plan in place for children with asthma. Registration forms will request health information from families. Often children develop asthma later when they are preschoolers so a child may not have asthma as an infant or toddler but may develop it by the time they are in their preschool years. Educators will notice symptoms of asthma through daily health checks and through ongoing communication with families. Once a child has been diagnosed with asthma by a medical professional a medical plan will be put into place so educators know how to help the child manage their symptoms.
Read
Read What is Asthma? by Asthma Canada to understand more about the symptoms and triggers:
- Understanding Asthma from Asthma Canada
Regulation
Children With Medical Needs
39.1. (1) Every licensee shall develop an individualized plan for each child with medical needs who,
(a) receives child care at a child care centre it operates; or
(b) is enrolled with a home child care agency and receives child care at a premises where it oversees the provision of home child care. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 27; O. Reg. 174/21, s. 1.
(2) The individualized plan shall be developed in consultation with a parent of the child and with any regulated health professional who is involved in the child’s health care and who, in the parent’s opinion, should be included in the consultation. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 27.
(3) The plan shall include,
(a) steps to be followed to reduce the risk of the child being exposed to any causative agents or situations that may exacerbate a medical condition or cause an allergic reaction or other medical emergency;
(b) a description of any medical devices used by the child and any instructions related to its use;
(c) a description of the procedures to be followed in the event of an allergic reaction or other medical emergency;
(d) a description of the supports that will be made available to the child in the child care centre or premises where the licensee oversees the provision of home child care; and
(e) any additional procedures to be followed when a child with a medical condition is part of an evacuation or participating in an off-site field trip. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 27; O. Reg. 174/21, s. 1.
(4) Despite subsection (1), a licensee is not required to develop an individualized plan under this section for a child with an anaphylactic allergy if the licensee has developed an individualized plan for the child under section 39 and the child is not otherwise a child with medical needs. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 27.
(Ontario Regulation 137/15, under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. © King’s Printer for Ontario, 2015)
