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Signs like this one declaring a classroom \"peanut-free\" are becoming increasingly common as schools deal with a growing number of students with food allergies. (Brian Smith | MLive.com) By Brian Smith | bsmith11@mlive.com http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2013/08/food_allergies_a_silent_disabi.html LANSING -- Recent cases in both state appeals and federal trial courts around Michigan over life-threatening food allergies have drawn both attention and criticism over how schools deal with the condition. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control show that 4 percent of school-age children in America have a food allergy, and the number of children with food allergies increased by 18 percent between 1997 and 2007. A study by the National Center for Health Statistics indicates that between 16 and 18 percent of children with allergies have had reactions from accidental exposure to allergens while in school, and 25 percent of severe anaphylaxis reactions occur in children who have not been previously diagnosed with allergies. "In the United States, there are nearly 6 million children, or roughly two students in every classroom, who have at least one food allergy," said John Lehr, CEO of Food Allergy Research and Education, a national advocacy group. While there is a range of reactions to exposure to allergens, food allergies can be fatal. A California girl died last month from a reaction to peanuts after accidentally taking a single bite of a snack containing peanut butter, the Sacramento Bee reported. FOOD ALLERGENS Eight allergens cause more than 90 percent of all reactions to food. • Milk • Eggs • Peanuts • Tree nuts • Fish • Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster) • Soybeans • Wheat Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Because reactions can be fatal, schools have a burden to avoid exposure when they know a student has an allergy. Federal food service regulations require schools to offer substitute meals and to take precautions to avoid exposure, according to Diane Golzynski, a school district consultant with the Michigan Department of Education's food service unit. Golzynski said that the process starts with an allergic child's doctor writing a statement describing the allergy and what precautions are necessary to prevent a reaction. "The food service director has to do what the statement says," Golzynski said. Statements can cover everything from creating an allergen-free area in the cafeteria to requiring custodians to use separate cleaning materials to avoid cross-contamination, but Golzynski said not all statements are that detailed. "In my experience, we haven't run into a lot of doctors who have gone that far," Golzynski said. Related: Proposed law would put epinephrine in the schools Students who have severe allergies have the ability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to pursue greater protections through the creation of an individual education plan. "Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act are laws that ensure that children with serious health issues, like life-threatening food allergies, have access to a free, appropriate public education. This means that schools must find ways for these children to access school safely," Lehr said. Food allergies are considered a "hidden disability" under Section 504, according to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, because food allergies are not readily apparent but are still disabling. An individual education plan under Section 504 was at issue in a recent Michigan appeals court decision from Macomb County where a mother sued to challenge a school-wide ban on peanuts and tree nuts. Golzynski said that while classroom bans are common, school-wide bans are increasing. "It's more rare than common, but we are beginning to see more of it," Golzynski said. The National School Boards Association has produced an advisory guide for school districts on how to deal with food allergy issues, and additional federal guidance is coming. "The CDC will be publishing national school food allergy management guidelines in the near future. These voluntary guidelines will be an invaluable resource for schools," Lehr said. Federal labeling laws for food require manufacturers to identify any allergens that may be present as well as whether or not food is prepared in a facility where allergens may be present. The advisory guide produced by the NSBA recommends that schools limit foods that are not labeled to avoid accidental exposure. Brian Smith is the statewide education and courts reporter for MLive. Email him at bsmith11@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.