Catherine is a Year 4 student at a small remote primary school. Catherine has been diagnosed with anaphylaxis in relation to all nut and dairy products.
She has had one anaphylactic episode while at home in the last 12 months, which required her to be transported to hospital overnight after her parents administered adrenalin via an auto-injector.
During Catherine’s enrolment, her school called a case conference attended by her parents, who provided a healthcare plan from her GP. Catherine’s teacher spoke to the GP by telephone to confirm the details of the healthcare plan. During the initial case conference with the Principal, Catherine’s classroom teacher and her parents, it was agreed that all staff would participate in 6-monthly training, with all new staff trained within 6 weeks of arrival, and an annual review of the healthcare plan ensuring all contact numbers and details are up to date. It was also agreed that the school would take part in annual drills implementing the emergency response plan. Catherine’s parents committed to providing the school with medical updates as soon as was reasonably possible if her condition changed. They would also provide two new auto-injectors every 6 months.
During the class health lessons, Catherine’s teacher has talked about what anaphylaxis is and what it means for Catherine. Her mother has also come to the health lessons and talked about the alternative foods that Catherine eats and what things she needs to do to avoid a reaction.
Catherine has attended the school for two years without the emergency response plan being activated; however, the ongoing adjustments and resources in terms of training and planning continue to take place.