An estimated 15 million people in the U.S. have food allergies, including 1 in 13 children. Food allergy is a complex and often misunderstood disease. A food allergy happens when your immune system overreacts to what should be a harmless food protein – an allergen.

Food allergies are potentially life-threatening and life-altering. Please remind your child not to share his/her lunch with others due to food allergy concerns.

Learn more about food allergies and how you can support those living with life-threatening food allergies.

“In a Matter of Minutes – The Severity of Food Allergy with Steve Carell” was produced to raise awareness about food allergy, a potentially life-threatening disease that has a profound impact on millions of families, yet is widely misunderstood. 

Food allergies are not a trend or a lifestyle choice. Families and adults living with this disease must be vigilant at all times, because in a matter of minutes, an allergic reaction can send someone to the emergency room with anaphylaxis. 

There are monthly menus available for students with celiac disease, peanut, tree nut, and dairy allergies. Parents must contact Nutrition Services, 847-963-3928 (Kristin Voigts or Tina Woods) for further information.

If your child has life-threatening anaphylactic allergies (including food allergies), please notify your school nurse, and print the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan form (below) for completion by your physician, and submit to your school's health nurse. The nurse maintains a list of students who have anaphylactic allergies to share with staff on a need-to-know basis and can assist you with the necessary documents needed for school. Please refer to District 15's Resource Guide for Supporting Students with Life-Threatening Allergies to read more about guidelines and download needed documents.