# Food allergy at kindergarten and school: plans, food and medicines

Does your child have a food allergy? Agree on safe food, a written plan and medicines at kindergarten, school and SFO. Learn what to do in a severe reaction.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/matallergi-barnehage-skole
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-10-07T19:16:01.986+00:00
Modified: 2026-10-07T19:16:02.094358+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- Make a written plan before your child starts Clarify food, reactions, treatment, contacts and outing routines so adults can find the information and act correctly.
- Agree on responsibility and necessary training Parents, the establishment and healthcare professionals must clarify safe help with medicines. Staff must know the routines and where equipment is kept.
- Call 113 if you suspect anaphylaxis Start emergency help and follow your child's medical plan without waiting for the parents to arrive.

Does your child have a food allergy? Agree on safe food, a written plan and help with medicines before your child starts kindergarten, school or SFO. Staff must know the routines, including on outings. If you suspect anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, call 113.

## What must you tell staff before your child starts?

Tell the kindergarten head or school management which foods your child cannot tolerate and what help they need. Ask for a meeting before they start or move to another group. SFO is skolefritidsordningen, the programme before and after school hours. Include SFO in planning if your child attends it.

Food allergy and food intolerance are different conditions. With an allergy, your child must completely avoid the food that causes a reaction. With an intolerance, limiting the amount is often enough. Follow your child's diagnosis and the doctor's advice, as [Helsenorge explains the difference](https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/astma-og-allergi/matallergi/).

Ask the doctor to describe the allergy, reactions and treatment in writing. [Helsedirektoratet recommends](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/faglige-rad/matallergi-i-barnehager-og-skoler/rad) a thorough assessment, preferably by a doctor with allergy expertise. The rules and advice in this guide were checked on **7 October 2026**.

You can prepare for the meeting with three questions: What has been agreed? Who will carry out the task? How will other staff be informed? Say if you need an interpreter. Read about [interpreters at kindergarten and school](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/tolk-barnehage-skole-norge).

## What should the written plan contain?

The plan should make it easy for an adult to find your child's information and act correctly. **Min matallergi** (My food allergy) is a form developed by asthma and allergy specialists. It has space for the following information:

| Information | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Food and reactions | Which foods cause a reaction, symptoms and approximately when they start |
| Treatment | Medicines and measures the doctor has prescribed for your child |
| Practical arrangements | Where medicines are kept and what must be ready for outings |
| Contact details and confirmation | Parents' telephone numbers, group or class, and a medical certificate |

Use [Helse Bergen's form and information about Min matallergi](https://www.helse-bergen.no/regionalt-senter-for-astma-allergi-og-overfolsomhet/min-matallergi/). The form can be completed digitally, saved and printed. Date the plan. This makes it easier to see which version you are using.

Go through the plan with those who will help your child. Clarify where it is kept and how substitute staff receive the necessary information. Update it when your child's needs or treatment change. A plan kept only at home is of little help when your child is at school.

## How can your child have safe meals?

Agree both on what your child can eat and on how adults will handle the food. Helsedirektoratet's [advice on meals at kindergarten](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/retningslinjer/mat-og-maltider-i-barnehagen/anbefalinger-for-mat-og-maltider-i-barnehagen) describes adjustments, written information and good routines.

A small portion of the same dish can be adapted for your child. Sometimes the entire dish can be adapted so everyone eats the same food. Your child should receive nutritious food and take part in the meal. Removing whole food groups can make their diet less varied.

Clarify who reads ingredient lists, clears away food leftovers and makes sure children do not swap food. Clean utensils and handwashing before and after meals help prevent the spread of food that causes a reaction in your child. The same routines are needed on outings.

**Lactose-free milk is not safe for a milk protein allergy.** Lactose and milk protein are different. Agree on suitable alternatives based on your child's needs.

Schools are also advised to offer meals that pupils with allergies can take part in, with food of equivalent nutritional value. This is stated in the [guideline on food and meals at primary school and SFO](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/retningslinjer/mat-og-maltider-i-skolen/del-1-mat-og-maltider-i-barneskole-og-skolefritidsordning). This recommendation is not, in itself, a binding legal rule.

Also ask about birthdays, cooking in lessons and food on outings. Clarify who checks a new product when the menu changes. This lets you find a solution before the meal without your child having to explain the whole situation alone.

## Must the whole kindergarten or school ban nuts?

No. As a general rule, Helsedirektoratet does not recommend blanket bans on particular foods. Measures must suit the individual child.

For the youngest children, however, a ban in a group or base area may be necessary. It must be based on an assessment by a doctor with allergy expertise, match the child's development and needs, and be reviewed annually with the parents. See the [national food allergy advice](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/faglige-rad/matallergi-i-barnehager-og-skoler/rad), updated in June 2026.

## Who helps your child with medicines?

The school must work with you when your child cannot take responsibility for necessary medicines themselves. The municipality or county authority, parents and healthcare professionals must assess whether school staff can safely provide the help or whether healthcare professionals must do so.

Help with medicines is part of the school's necessary care. It is not part of a decision granting personal assistance or other individual accommodations under opplæringsloven (the Education Act) §§ 11-4 to 11-6. See [Utdanningsdirektoratet's guidance on care and medicines](https://www.udir.no/regelverk-og-tilsyn/skole-og-opplaring/veileder-for-tilpasset-opplaring-og-individuell-tilrettelegging/individuell-tilrettelegging/).

At kindergarten, help with medicines is based on a specific agreement with the parents when the doctor considers that the task does not require healthcare expertise. The [national medication routines](https://www.regjeringen.no/globalassets/upload/kd/vedlegg/rutiner_for_medisinering_av_barn_i_barnehagen.pdf) describe this distinction and suggested agreements. These suggestions are aids, not one mandatory form for everyone.

Agree on information, training, storage, administering medicines and follow-up. Ask the doctor for clear guidance on your child's treatment. Your child should take part in the conversation as far as possible. Responsibility must be clear between adults; it must not depend on your child remembering everything.

## What should you do in a severe reaction?

**Call 113 immediately if you suspect anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction.** The reaction can develop quickly. Breathing difficulties, a tight throat, dizziness or symptoms in several parts of the body may be signs. See [Helsenorge's information on anaphylactic shock](https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/astma-og-allergi/allergisjokk/).

Your child's medical plan and the doctor's training must guide the use of a prescribed adrenaline auto-injector. Staff must know how to use your child's device. Do not wait for the parents to arrive before starting emergency help.

For severe food allergy, [Helsedirektoratet recommends](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/faglige-rad/matallergi-i-barnehager-og-skoler/rad) having **two adrenaline auto-injectors available**, including on outings. Clarify their location and who brings them. This does not automatically apply to all children with allergies.

## What should you do if the routines are not working?

First raise the problem with the kindergarten or school. Write down what happened, what your child needs and what you are asking them to follow up. Ask for a response and a review of the routines.

The owner is responsible for the necessary resources. The establishment must have emergency preparedness, staff with first-aid knowledge and equipment kept in appropriate locations. It must also have routines for identifying and correcting faults. These requirements are in [forskrift om helse og miljø i barnehager, skoler og skolefritidsordninger (the regulations on health and the environment in kindergartens, schools and SFO) §§ 3, 14 and 18](https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2023-03-28-449).

If your enquiry is not followed up within a reasonable time, you can contact the municipality as the supervisory authority. The municipality must consider follow-up through supervision. Municipal decisions under these rules can be appealed to Statsforvalteren, the county governor; see §§ 20 and 21. This is a separate route for health and environmental issues.

The allergy plan concerns your child's everyday safety. For infectious illness, also use the guide on [when sick children should stay home from kindergarten](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/sykt-barn-hjemme-barnehage-norge). Find more everyday aids in [SamfunnPrep's tools overview](https://samfunnprep.no/en/verktoy).

## FAQ

### Must the whole kindergarten ban nuts if my child is allergic?

As a general rule, blanket food bans are not recommended. For the youngest children, a ban in their group may be necessary, adapted to the child's needs and development, following assessment by a doctor with allergy expertise and annual review with the parents.

### Is lactose-free milk safe for a milk protein allergy?

No. Lactose-free milk is not a suitable alternative for a milk protein allergy. Agree on food and replacement products based on your child's diagnosis and needs.

### Does my child need a personal assistance decision for medicines?

Help with necessary medicines is not part of such a decision. The school must work with parents and healthcare professionals to establish who can safely provide the help.

### What should I do if I suspect anaphylaxis?

Call 113 immediately. Follow your child's medical plan and the training for their prescribed adrenaline auto-injector. Emergency help must not wait for the parents to arrive.

### What if the kindergarten or school does not follow up the problem?

First raise the matter with the kindergarten or school. If it is not followed up within a reasonable time, you can contact the municipality as the supervisory authority regarding health and environmental requirements.

## Sources

- [Råd for håndtering av matallergi](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/faglige-rad/matallergi-i-barnehager-og-skoler/rad)
- [Anbefalinger for mat og måltider i barnehagen](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/retningslinjer/mat-og-maltider-i-barnehagen/anbefalinger-for-mat-og-maltider-i-barnehagen)
- [Mat og måltider i barneskole og skolefritidsordning](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/retningslinjer/mat-og-maltider-i-skolen/del-1-mat-og-maltider-i-barneskole-og-skolefritidsordning)
- [Legemiddelhåndteringsforskriftens formål og virkeområde](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/rundskriv/legemiddelhandtering/legemiddelhandteringsforskriftens-formal-og-virkeomrade)
- [Individuell tilrettelegging](https://www.udir.no/regelverk-og-tilsyn/skole-og-opplaring/veileder-for-tilpasset-opplaring-og-individuell-tilrettelegging/individuell-tilrettelegging/)
- [Andre reglar og omsyn i skolefritidsordninga](https://www.udir.no/regelverk-og-tilsyn/skole-og-opplaring/rundskriv-om-skolefritidsordninga/andre-reglar-og-omsyn-i-skolefritidsordninga/)
- [Allergisk sjokk og anafylaksi](https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/astma-og-allergi/allergisjokk/)
- [Matallergi og matintoleranse](https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/astma-og-allergi/matallergi/)
- [Forskrift om helse og miljø i barnehager, skoler og skolefritidsordninger](https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2023-03-28-449)
- [Min matallergi](https://www.helse-bergen.no/regionalt-senter-for-astma-allergi-og-overfolsomhet/min-matallergi/)
- [Min matallergi](https://www.helse-bergen.no/4b0584/contentassets/4ee9eebed71f49c0811d9016a07181fd/allergiskjema-mine-allergier-ny.pdf)
- [Rutiner for medisinering av barn i barnehagen og elever i skolen og SFO](https://www.regjeringen.no/globalassets/upload/kd/vedlegg/rutiner_for_medisinering_av_barn_i_barnehagen.pdf)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "Food allergy at kindergarten and school: plans, food and medicines", SamfunnPrep, 2026-10-07T19:16:01.986+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/matallergi-barnehage-skole