For the health and safety of all, please do not send your child to school if they are showing signs of illness. We would appreciate being informed promptly of any contagious conditions (ex. lice, pink- eye) in order to take precautionary safety measures. If a student becomes ill at school, we will contact parents and ask them to pick-up their child.

Medication

During the regular school day, any child who is required to take medication prescribed by a doctor or with parental consent may be assisted by the Principal or designate. It is mandatory that the parent completes the appropriate form before medication may be administered.

Student Health Emergency Response Protocol Form

• This form is to be used when there is a student health issue regarding attention. This includes when there is a request to administer medication. 

Student Health Plan

This form is to be:

• completed if a physical or medical condition may affect the student’s attendance at school
• completed if medication is to be taken at school,
• reviewed and updated annually or sooner if there is a change in the student’s health concern or school registration.

Medical Alert

If your child has special medical requirements please ensure that this information is provided to the school staff at the beginning of the year and updated as necessary.

Allergies

Severe Nut Allergies

Please help us with our students who have severe allergies to nuts & peanuts! The specifics and the severity are different for different children. While there are other causes of allergies, the Anaphylaxis Handbook for School Boards says: “Peanuts and nuts are the most common allergen causing anaphylaxis in school-aged children."

What is Anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is the medical term for allergic shock. An allergic reaction to peanuts and nuts can be any or all of the following: tingling in the mouth, hives, itching, flushed face, and body, swelling of eyes, lips, face, and tongue, tightness in the throat, mouth, and chest, difficulty breathing and swallowing, wheezing, coughing, choking, vomiting and stomach upset, dizziness and unsteadiness, loss of consciousness, coma and death. Some individuals can react to ingesting traces of peanuts or other substances. Some will even react to touching nuts or peanuts, or even a surface they have been in contact with.

What’s So Special About Peanut Butter?

The particular problems with peanut butter come from its popularity with children and its sticky texture. While young children with allergies quickly learn how to avoid it, peanut butter may easily  get left behind on desks, door handles, etc.

Why Not Just Ban Peanut Products at School?

The CBE policy reflects the fact that trying to ban peanuts, nuts and related products from schools is unrealistic. It would be impossible to demand or guarantee compliance. Even with complete co-operation, it’s too easy to make a mistake, given the wide range of affected foods. A ban could give staff, parents, other students, and most importantly the allergic child, a false sense of security. It is important we work with these children to learn to be responsible in a world that is not peanut free.

What is the School Doing?

At Chinook Park School, children with identified severe allergies are known to our staff. Families have ensured that medications are on site, and staff have been trained to recognize symptoms and administer medication. Parents are asked to avoid peanuts etc. from classroom snacks (i.e., birthday treats). At Chinook Park, student awareness is critical. Our students know the potential health risk nut products may have for some students. We ask families to avoid bringing nut products in  their school lunches out of consideration for others, and to minimize the risk for young children learning to deal with a life threatening allergy.