If your child has any type of allergies or asthma, then anaphylaxis at school is a possiblity, even if it has never happened before. Unfortunately, anaphylaxis is often mistaken for asthma in its early stages. The truth may not be recognized until it is too late. So, sending your allergic or asthmatic child off to school can be worrisome, at best.

The good news is that schools and their staff are becoming more aware of anaphylaxis, how to recognize it and how to respond quickly. But, as a parent, there is much that you can do too.

1. First, work to make school a safer, more child-friendly place by minimizing allergic triggers in the environment.
2. Second, get the facts about managing anaphylaxis at school.
3. Finally, know your child's rights to carry allergy and asthma medicine that may save his or her life.