Your Back to School Guide
JESSI CRUICKSHANK ON BACK TO SCHOOL BALANCING FAMILY, FUN & FRESH STARTS
An exclusive Q&A with Jessi Cruickshank as she shares her insights on navigating the back-to-school season with her family. Discover her tips for maintaining balance, fostering a love for learning, and making the transition from summer to school smooth and enjoyable for everyone.
How do you encourage your children to be excited about learning and school activities?
Thankfully, my kids ARE excited about going back to school! I think for my generation, growing up in the 90s/2000s - we were all raised with this Bart Simpson mentality that “School Sucks”. There was this pervasive cultural mindset that we were supposed to hate school and everything that went along with it. I don’t think that exists as much anymore, at least my twin boys don’t think that way yet. They can’t wait for Grade 1! Plus, we have been reading Harry Potter together for the first time and I’ve been encouraging my boys to write journal entries and comic books all summer long, so they have started to understand the power of reading and writing. I think that is the key — our kids will get excited about learning when they start to understand how it can unlock the world for them.
Back-To-School With Food Allergy: Tips And Resources
Parents of children with food allergy
• Read the policies on allergy management that your school district and school have in place.
• Fill out all the necessary school paperwork, like the Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan.
• Ask about anaphylaxis training sessions for school staff and when these happen. Tell them about our free AllergyAware.ca online courses.
Students with food allergy
• Only eat food from home or food that a parent/guardian has approved; avoid sharing food, utensils, straws and containers.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after eating.
• Always carry at least one epinephrine auto-injector with you.
Visit foodallergycanada.ca/backtoschool for the complete checklist and other resources.
Discover how epinephrine works
• Watch our “What is food allergy” and “What is anaphylaxis” videos at foodallergycanada.ca/videos. In these short videos, a leading Canadian allergist explains the science behind what happens to your body when you have a food allergy and when experiencing anaphylaxis, including how epinephrine works to treat a reaction.
Help educators prepare
• Inform them of our “All about food allergy” student program at foodallergycanada.ca/SchoolProgram. A free, medically-reviewed and curriculum-linked program, it will help develop the knowledge and skills students need to support the health and well-being of self and others.
Help create awareness and educate others!
See Jessi LIVE at her all new Comedy Show 'NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL LIVE TOUR'
ALLERGY RELIEF ROADMAP:
Treatment Options for Your Child
Allergies can negatively impact children’s daily lives and even school performance, but treatment options are available.
Tania Amardeil
Allergies in children are increasingly common. Allergies come in many forms, including food allergies, eczema, and environmental allergies, some of which may be seasonal. When it comes to environmental allergies, at least 20 per cent of Canadians suffer from these to some degree.
Common allergens in children include pollen, animal dander, house dust mites, mold, certain foods, insect bites and stings, and medications. Allergies are the result of an overactive immune system, which tries to fight otherwise harmless substances, resulting in allergy symptoms. Depending on the allergen that triggers environmental allergies, allergic rhinitis symptoms can include a runny or stuffy nose; itching of the nose, eyes, or roof of the mouth; watery, red, or swollen eyes; sneezing and sinus pressure; and congestion. It’s not surprising, then, that allergies can greatly impact kids’ daily life, including school performance.
Seeking support
Fortunately, treatment options are available. The first step is to get your child diagnosed. Communicate your child’s symptoms, frequency, and severity clearly to your doctor to ensure an accurate diagnosis and to get your child the appropriate care for their specific allergy. Treatment options include 1) non-medication approaches such as avoidance, 2) medication such as antihistamines, or 3) retraining the
immune system with allergy immunotherapy, which is available as traditional allergy shots, or tablets placed under the tongue (sublingual) that melt quickly so they can be absorbed by the tissue in this area before directly passing into the bloodstream.
Every parent wants their child to be healthy and happy. You may worry that your kid’s allergy undermines those goals. It doesn’t have to. If you think your child might have allergies, or if their current allergy treatment isn’t work ing, ask for help.
BETTER UNDERSTANDING ALLERGY IMMUNOTHERAPY’S TWO FORMS
There are three main allergy management options for children: avoidance, symptom relief medications, and allergy immunotherapy.
Allergy immunotherapy is useful because it targets allergies’ source. It works by giving repeated, tiny doses of an allergen, teaching the immune system that the allergen isn’t harmful. This can help your child become less sensitive to the allergen.
ALLERGY IMMUNOTHERAPY COMES IN TWO FORMS:
Traditional allergy shots
Also known as subcutaneous immunotherapy, traditional allergy shots can be used for a variety of allergies and require going to the doctor as often as once per week.
Sublingual tablets
These are tablets that dissolve and melt into liquid within seconds when placed under the tongue. This makes the medication easier for kids to take at home after the first dose, which is taken under your doctor's supervision. It can also be helpful for kids who fear needles.
SOURCES
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9731156/
2 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/allergies/symp toms-causes/syc-20351497
3 https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/not-like-it-was-10-years-ago-seasonal-al lergies-getting-worse-for-some-canadians-1.6797035
4 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/allergies/symp toms-causes/syc-20351497
5 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/aller gies-and-the-immune-system
6 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/allergies/symp toms-causes/syc-20351497
7 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/symp toms-causes/syc-20373039
8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3345332/
9 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/in-depth/ seasonal-allergies/art-20048343
10 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/in-depth/ seasonal-allergies/art-20048343
11 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/in-depth/seasonal-allergies/art-20048343
12 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279487/
13 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279487/
14 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279487/
15 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279487/
16 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279487/
17 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279487/
Talk to your family doctor or paediatrician to see if allergy immunotherapy is an appropriate treatment option for your child. Ask for a referral to an allergist.
This article was made possible with support from one of Canada's leading research-based pharmaceutical companies.
Supporting Meal Programs and Fostering Food Literacy Initiatives in Ontario Schools
Flagship Charitable Program provides grants, resources, and programming investments to schools.
Farm Boy, a leading Ontario fresh food retailer, is thrilled to announce, 'nourish to flourish', a new initiative aimed at supporting in-school food programs and nurturing food literacy among students across the province.
Developed in close collaboration with Sustain Ontario and Farm to Cafeteria Canada, nourish to flourish is set, in its inaugural year, to provide $55,000 in grants to 30 selected Ontario schools. Farm Boy will launch a point-of-sale fundraising campaign in-store from August 1 to August 15 inviting customers to donate at checkout to support nourish to flourish. The company will match donations up to $25,000 to fund the grants.
This initiative will foster an environment where children not only eat well, but also develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the origins and journey of food from farm to plate. nourish to flourish extends far beyond the
school walls. In addition to funding for in-school food programs, the program will offer educational experiences such as immersive trips to farms, school gardens, and guest speaker events. nourish to flourish seeks to empower students with the knowledge and skills to make healthy choices that will sustain them for a lifetime — fostering a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the earth.
"We believe in the power of nutritious and wholesome food to fuel healthy communities," says Shawn Linton, President and General Manager at Farm Boy. "nourish to flourish — our flagship charitable program is designed to make a positive impact across Ontario, encouraging schools to strengthen their in-school food programs and inspire students to develop healthy eating habits."
Sustain Ontario and Farm to Cafeteria Canada will play a pivotal role in this initiative by facilitating the application process, helping promote
the program, supporting the school selection process, providing guidance to school communities through access to tools, resources, learning and knowledge sharing activities, as well as working with schools to share their stories of impact.
"We are very pleased to be a partner on this Ontario-specific grant stream," shares Phil Mount, Chair of the Board of Directors of Sustain Ontario. "The nourish to flourish initiative will provide schools with additional funding, knowledge, and inspiration to advance in-school food programs that bring in fresh, local, and culturally relevant food, as well as to initiate concrete food literacy activities including involving students in growing, harvesting, and preparing their food, and better learning where their food comes from."
Back-to-school with a Clear Head!
Richling I, Böckeler W. Lethal effects
For more information regarding the nourish to flourish program, please visit farmboy.ca/ nourishtoflourish
This article was sponsored by Farm Boy
TRIED. TESTED. TRUSTED.
Ask your healthcare professional for EpiPen® : the epinephrine auto-injector with over 35 years of experience in treating severe allergic reactions.
EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors are indicated for the emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions in patients who are determined to be at increased risk for anaphylaxis, including individuals with a history of anaphylactic reactions. Selection of the appropriate dosage strength is determined according to patient body weight.
EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® Auto-Injectors are designed as emergency supportive therapy only. They are not a replacement for subsequent medical or hospital care. After administration, patients should seek medical attention immediately or go to the emergency room. For the next 48 hours, patients must stay within close proximity to a healthcare facility or where they can call 911. To ensure this product is right for you, always read and follow the label. Please consult the Consumer Information leaflet in your product package for warnings and precautions, side effects, and complete dosing and administration instructions.
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