After allergic reaction, Carlstadt Public School bans classroom snacks

CARLSTADT – In response to a medical emergency earlier in the school year, the Carlstadt Public School has banned food from classroom celebrations.

In December, School Superintendent Stephen Kollinok implemented a policy prohibiting classroom snacks.

During that month, a student had an anaphylactic reaction in the classroom. The students were making gingerbread houses at the time. This prompted the need for a new strategy going forward, said Kollinok.

Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially fatal immune systemic reaction. According to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), nearly one in 13 children have food allergies. The figures came about from a 2009-2010 survey of more than 38,000 children, which found 5.9 million children have food allergies.

Statistics show that food allergies in children are on the rise, and school districts nationwide have been responding with new ways to accommodate their students.

“The most recent student allergic reaction prompted the administration to make a decision, and that was absolutely to prevent any future occurrences,” said Kollinok.

“We made the decision that this just can’t happen again. Student safety is the most important priority here.”

Kollinok explained the school needed to take control of food and snacks being sent in by parents. This was happening in the primary grades, but the school also had to halt edibles in the intermediate and middle school grades, he said.

TETERBORO: Pilot killed in crash was not qualified to fly, NTSB docs show

BERGEN: Here's why Bergen County has so many towns

“Foods were coming in that really necessitated our school nurse to check the ingredients and make sure the students in the classrooms did not have certain allergies,” he said.

“The parents mean well. But we don’t know whether or not there is an egg allergy, a dairy allergy, or a nut allergy. Even though our school nurse has all that [information], the parents were sending things in, and they might not know.”

The district has had situations where the parents did not have prior knowledge about who in a classroom had allergies, said Business Administrator Megan Pepe.

For the nurse, checking incoming snacks became a time-consuming task. The food-allergy concern was heightened because students could share snacks that could sicken young people who were allergic to certain ingredients.

“The problem is – I’m referring to birthdays and special occasions – we had no control over what parents were sending in,” said Kollinok. “We needed to gain better control because we couldn’t pick and choose, putting kids in harm’s way.”

The superintendent said he did not know offhand exactly how many students had food allergies.

“I know the number is significant, and involves foods other than just nut allergies,” said Kollinok.

According to FARE, eight foods make up nearly all allergic reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.

Consumption is the most common allergic trigger. However, contact through the skin or airborne allergens can trigger a reaction in children with severe sensitivity.

Brown-bag lunches prepared by parents for their own children are not impacted by the directive, said the superintendent.

“We certainly hope that lunches that are brought from home are not shared,” said Kollinok.

The cafeteria already has “free” tables, and the school nurse monitors the children with allergies closely to ensure they are not exposed to anything that could trigger anaphylactic shock, added Pepe.

According to the superintendent, the response from faculty and parents has been positive so far.

Prior to the 2017-18 school year, Carlstadt had a policy similar to those held by other state districts concerning students at risk of anaphylaxis. The policy stressed prevention measures. Written prior to an October revision, the policy includes classroom celebrations.

In October, a letter by Principal Kenneth Foy went out to parents indicating birthday/celebration food treats were no longer permitted to be brought into classrooms.

Foy noted this prohibition is in keeping with revisions to the federal Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010.

Going forward, items that are school-related, like books or pencils, instead of food-related items, are encouraged for classroom celebrations, said Kollinok.

Trustee Frank Ficetola addressed the Board of Education in January, saying he was concerned about his son’s reaction in the classroom. According to the minutes, Ficetola said he and his wife were upset that the protocol had been broken.

When contacted by The Record and NorthJersey.com, Ficetola declined to comment further.

In nearby Lyndhurst, the school district implemented a new policy in 2013 banning students in kindergarten through eighth grade from bringing in nuts and nut products, due to the risk it posed for certain students.

At the time, 57 students were known to have severe peanut allergies.

BE SOCIAL: Food Allergy Research & Education holds 20th annual Food Allergy Ball

TREATMENT: Anger over EpiPen prompts offer of $300 discount from drugmaker

ERVOLINO: I've always been allergic to cats. Am I suddenly allergic to my dog?

One reason behind the new policy was the fact that not every Lyndhurst elementary school has a designated cafeteria, meaning students would eat in their classrooms, and preventing accidental exposure to allergens would be difficult.

Nationwide, food allergies among children increased almost 50 percent between 1997 and 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

In New Jersey, about 327,000 residents have food allergies, with nearly 100,000 of them being children, a 2008 report by the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services indicated.

Outside a hospital setting, food allergies are the leading cause of anaphylaxis and account for an estimated 30,000 emergency department visits and 2,000 hospitalizations nationwide.

Email: grantm@northjersey.com