Severe reactions are worrisome for all parties. As you've experienced, lots
of communication is necessary, and on an ongoing basis.

I recommend that you do as we did: provide simple, explicit, written
instructions to the principal, to the teacher and to the nurse regarding:

1) preventing reactions
2) recognizing when one is occurring
3) the specific order of responding to a reaction, including
        - what medications to use, in what order, and how soon
        - where the medications should be kept
        - how to reduce the severity of the reaction
                (e.g., washing off topical allergen)
        - when to call 911
        - when, how to call his parents
        - when to call his doctor


When a reaction occurs, things happen fast. There's no time to learn the
protocol during a reaction, so all parties should be familiar with it. All
medications, emergency instructions, and contact info should be kept in an
easily accessible location. If there's a suitable protocol in the school,
that's great. If not, insist that they prepare one and train all relevant
parties.

Also include instructions on field trips, excursions from the classroom,
etc. Unless you're comfortable that the medications will be taken with and
those on the excursion can prevent and respond to reactions, volunteer to
go with. If done in a friendly fashion, teachers will quickly learn that
they are more comfortable having you there to help chaperon and to be the
one responsible for your child. It's worked well for us.

I also recommend that you purchase a pager, preferably one with good
battery-life characteristics, and that you include this number in your
contact instructions. Due to their limited battery life, cell phones alone
are not a fully reliable source of emergency contact. A pager can live for
up to 2 months on a single battery. Best would be a pager plus a cell
phone, if you can afford both.

G' Luck

____________
Mark Feblowitz