Dr Andrew Rochford recently launched a new allergy awareness campaign at his old primary school, St Rose Catholic School in Collaroy Plateau.
The Channel 7 personality knows just how scary it is when your child suffers a serious allergic attack after his son had to go to hospital suffering a reaction to a tick bite.
Dr Rochford told the students at St Rose all about allergy symptoms, how to look after their friends and create a safe environment. “They understand, they get it and they are keen to learn,” he said.
Josie Vescio, School Principal, said seven of the school’s 230 pupils had food allergies, including the daughter of canteen manager Anne-Marie McInnes who was allergic to nuts. As a result, the canteen was exceptionally allergy-aware. “Ninety per cent of our canteen food is made on site” Mrs Vescio said and the school has a no sharing of food policy.
This is a very important campaign for schools because more and more students are being diagnosed with severe allergies and have to take allergy medication with them to schools, such as adrenaline auto-injectors,” Dr Rochford said. “It is especially important at the primary school level, where many children are too young to understand the severity of these issues and rely on staff and parents to initiate and encourage proper preventative measures.”