New ASCIA action plans now available to support allergy and anaphylaxis

Children diagnosed with anaphylaxis are at serious risk of significant or critical injury if exposed to known allergens. In order to protect children from harm and hazard, approved providers, nominated supervisors and family day care educators need to ensure all staff understand the signs, symptoms and treatment of anaphylaxis, as well as how to manage the risk for individual children within each unique service context.

The Best Practice Guidelines for Anaphylaxis Prevention and Management are in place to help services to understand and implement appropriate risk management and treatment of allergy and anaphylaxis within early education services.   

The new Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Action Plans form part of the appropriate risk management. Services are advised to start using the new ASCIA action plans in consultation with families and registered medical practitioners, ideally over the next 12 months. 

The action plans meet the legal requirements as a medical management plan and should be used to guide the immediate response and treatment of allergy and anaphylaxis in an early childhood context.   

The new plans consolidate personal information to the top of the page, offer a format where instructions for both brands of adrenaline injectors are visible on the one plan (with device specific action plans still available as a choice), and simplify instructions for the management of mild to moderate allergic reactions.  

When updating ASCIA action plans, services are encouraged to conduct a thorough review of service-specific policies and procedures to ensure medical management practices are in line with current recommendations and that preventative measures are in place to protect children in care.  

Previous versions of ASCIA action plans will continue to meet regulatory requirements at this stage.   

For further information, advice and support, please contact the Regulatory Authority in your state or territory.