U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is introducing legislation that will offer greater protection to school students who suffer from potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.

Despite the growing numbers of these allergic reactions, Sen. Schumer said schools lack the resources to train parents, students, faculty and staff in the best way to prevent and treat these incidents.

He also said there are no federal guidelines that detail how schools can address student allergies.

This results in neighboring school districts and even neighboring schools having different policies with widely different results.

In order to correct this, Sen. Schumer is co-sponsoring the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act which will develop voluntary national guidelines to help schools and after school programs prevent and treat allergic reactions "in the most aggressive and appropriate manner possible."

The legislation Sen. Schumer is co-sponsoring also provides funding that would help implement these strategies.

"Every year, thousands of kids are sent to an emergency room for food allergies but many of those incidents could be avoided if schools had the proper resources to prevent and respond to severe allergic reactions," the senator said.

He went on to say the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Act will ensure that schools have access to consistent, uniform food allergy guidelines and resources to help prevent food allergy attacks and deaths.

Cassadaga Valley and Brocton Central schools already have policies and guidelines in place to address this critical need.

Cassadaga Elementary's Barbara Crowell and Brocton Central's Jean McCausland both have 20 years experience as school nurses.

Both said they haven't yet had a student react to a food allergy that required a trip to the emergency room.

Crowell said at the beginning of each school year, she sends forms home with the students asking their parents or guardians to list any food allergies or any health concerns..

"From this information, I create a list which I provide to each faculty and staff member that indicates which students have an allergy or health issue," she said.

The Cassadaga Elementary School cafeteria staff is also provided with the students' names and the foods they are allergic to, Crowell said.

"With the help of computer identification, the cafeteria staff monitors this list closely and substitutes alternate food in place of that which causes an allergic reaction," she said.

McCausland said she keeps a supply of epi-pens which autoinject appropriate doses of epinephrine, a drug designed to offset allergic reactions.

These pens are prescribed by Brocton's school physician.

Crowell said she also has a supply of these pens which are brought to school by the students who need them.

Both nurses keep these pens in their medical supply cabinets.

Crowell said Cassadaga Elementary is relatively small and classrooms are close to her centrally located office.

Brocton Central contains pre-kindergarten through 12th grade classes and as such, students can be a distance from the nurse's office.

McCausland said telephones are available in each of the classrooms and are used to summon help, if needed.

Brocton Superintendent Jack Skahill said there are policies in place that deal with students who have been identified as having food allergies.

"The teachers and staff are trained in how to deal with a student having an allergic reaction," he said.

Crowell said a general awareness of food allergies is needed as well.

"When treats are sent to school, those providing these treats should check with the student's teacher is learn if anyone in the classroom has an allergy to a specific food," she said.

Skahill said he thinks this is a reasonable request.

The legislation Schumer is co-sponsoring with Sen. Chris Dodd and Rep. Nita Lowery will provide for a consistent approach to food allergy management guidelines for schools to consider implementing.

It will also provide grants up to $50,000 to local educational agencies to implement these guidelines in K-12 public schools.

According to Sen. Schumer, in Western New York, an estimated 12,900 individuals 18 years and younger have food allergies.

There are an estimated 174,000 individuals in New York State who have similar allergies.

"This bill will give parents peace of mind knowing when they send their kids to school they will be in an environment where their teachers and nurses are trained to prevent and react to allergic reactions," Sen. Schumer said.

Generally, Crowell said, "Kids are smart enough to know what they can't eat."

She also says teachers and staff personnel receive FAST training.

"They are told to watch for reactions to faces, airways, stomach or total body," she said.

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