For any parent, a child’s first day at a new school can be a worrying one, and even more so if your child has an allergy or food intolerance. What to a child without an allergy is just a lunch-time snack, could for an allergic child be potentially fatal. In its severest form (Anaphylaxis) food allergies can be fatal, with only a trace amount of the allergen needed to trigger an attack, and it’s not only peanuts; allergies can be triggered by a range of other foods including tree nuts, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, soy, sesame and wheat. This is where the AIS Allergy & Anaphylactic Support Group comes in.
The AIS Allergy & Anaphylactic Support Group is run by parents of children with food allergies and intolerances; people who know what it’s like to deal first hand with these issues, both in school and in the community. Working closely with the school’s own nursing staff, the group provides not only a wealth of information for families whose lives are affected by food allergies and intolerances, but also practical and emotional assistance. Within school, the group runs meetings each term for parents and helps to educate the whole school community through regular presentations to the student body, from Preschool through to Senior School, and during Food Allergy Awareness Week each year in May.
Current figures show that 1 in 20 Australian children have an allergy, with 1 in 200 at risk of life-threatening Anaphylaxis. Over 50 children at AIS are at risk of Anaphylaxis and so it is an issue that everyone at the school takes seriously.
Anyone interested in learning more or in joining the support group should contact Marg Bradley margieb@singnet.com.sg or any of the School Nurses.
Marg Bradley, Coordinator
Allergy & Anaphylactic Support Group
The AIS No Nut Policy
The School supports those students with severe and life threatening allergies to peanuts and tree nuts by encouraging all students, and their families/guardians, not to bring nuts or nut products to school (this includes pastes, drinks, sauces, spreads, chocolates, etc).
Recommended checklist, by the Support Group, for families of students before starting at AIS
Recommended checklist, by the Support Group, for students at AIS
- Ensure all medication is in date. Please take a note of the expiry date of all medication and replace it with the school when required. This should be checked by the school, but it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of your child.
- Inform the School Nurse of updates or changes in contact details, treatments, Action Plan changes, or health issues immediately as they occur.
- Inform the School Administration of any contact changes to records@ais.com.sg.
- Plan with Teachers in regards to camps and day trips, especially where specific foods are required or to be avoided. Emergency Procedures would need to be thoroughly confirmed.
- The Emergency Response Plan for the new school year will be emailed to you by the nurses prior to end of year. Please check carefully and respond by the due date.
- Collect your Emergency Response Kit at the end of each year. Review before returning them to School for the commencement of the school year.
- Return all medications the week prior to the commencement of the school year. Nurses will be in attendance.
Where to find ‘friendly’ foods in Singapore
Brown Rice Paradise - 3rd Floor, Tanglin Mall. They usually stock white spelt flour, a good selection of gluten free products and egg replacer, as well as organic foods. They also stock probiotics and a wide range of natural health supplements.
SuperNature - 5 mins from Tanglin Mall. It's the corner of Tomlinson Street and Orchard Boulevard at the base of a condo building. Turn in from Orchard Boulevard. It has a great stock of organic and alternative foods. Also stocks probiotics and a wide range of natural health supplements. Good rice pastas too, especially Tinkyada and Lundberg brands. They also have a good selection of frozen non-wheat breads mainly from the US. Parking is free.
Cold Storage (Parkway Parade & Great World, Jelita) & Market Place (Tanglin & Paragon) - Supermarkets stock Bob Mills products which have a large array of gluten free flours like Buckwheat, tapioca, rice flour, quinoa, sougham, garbanzo
Carrefour - Suntec City and Plaza Singapura. Also stocks Bob Mills products as well as spelt flour.
GreenCircle.com - Organic Farm in Singapore with some hard to find products at good prices and fresh fruit and vegetables. They also provide home delivery. Go to www.greencircle.com.sg/sales/index.htm
You can also get cheap rice flour from most supermarkets as it's used a lot in Asian cooking.
Gram flour is also gluten free and can be purchased in Little India at a minimal cost.
Doctors
The allergists that are currently recommended by the group are:
- Dr Hugo van Beaver at National University Hospital - Phone 6779 5555 or 6779 5555
- Dr Lynette Shek at National University Hospital - Phone 67792777
- Dr Lee Bee Wah at The Child and Allergy Clinic, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre - Phone 67360533 or 67360577
- Dr Anne Goh at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital - Phone 6294 4050 or 6294 4050
EpiPens (Epinephrine)
These can only be purchased on prescription in Singapore. If possible, it is advisable to see your allergist and purchase prior to relocation to Singapore.
Pharmacies that supply EpiPens in Singapore
- NUH pharmacy
www.nuh.com.sg
- Mt Elizabeth Medical Centre pharmacy
www.parkwayhealth.com/hospitals/mount_elizabeth_hospital
GP practices that you can also obtain EpiPens
- Complete Healthcare International (CHI)
www.chi-health.com.sg
enquiries@chi-health.com.sg
- International Medical Clinic (IMC)
www.imc-healthcare.com
camden@imc-healthcare.com
Useful information
www.allergy.org.au
www.allergyfacts.org.au