Knowledge of allergies and performance in epinephrine auto-injector use: a controlled intervention in preschool teachers.

Epinephrine auto-injectors are used for first aid in anaphylactic emergencies by non-healthcare professionals, e.g., (pre-)school teachers. We developed an education session for preschool teachers addressing allergies, anaphylactic emergencies, and administering auto-injectors. We assessed their attitudes and knowledge in allergies and anaphylactic emergency by a questionnaire and monitored their practical performance in administering auto-injectors before the education session, directly after, and 4-12 weeks after the session. From 75 teachers giving their consent to participate, 81% had children with allergies under their supervision and 3% had already administered medication from an available rescue kit. The knowledge of triggers of allergies increased from 9 to 55% directly and to 33% 4-12 weeks after the session (both p < 0.001, compared to baseline). Directly after the session, the number of teachers who felt well-prepared for an anaphylactic emergency rose from 11 to 88%, which decreased to 79% 4-12 weeks thereafter (each p < 0.001). The number of auto-injector administrations without any drug-related problems increased from 3 to 35% directly after the session and shrunk to 16% 4-12 weeks afterwards (both p < 0.025). CONCLUSION: A single education session substantially improved preschool teachers' attitudes and knowledge in allergies and anaphylactic emergencies. Additionally, their practical performance in auto-injector administration increased. What is Known: • Food allergies are increasing among children. • The knowledge about allergies and anaphylactic emergencies is poor. What is New: • The proportion of teachers who felt well-prepared for an anaphylactic emergency increased after a single education session. • The proportion of auto-injector administrations without any drug-related problems additionally increased due to an education session.

Providing teachers with education on epilepsy increased their willingness to handle acute seizures in children from one to 10 years of age.

AIM: In Germany, preschool teachers supervise children up to six years of age and are also responsible for supervising older pupils after school. This study explored the impact of a teaching session on epilepsy for teachers in charge of children from 1 to 10 years of age. METHODS: We evaluated the benefit of a teaching session offered to all preschool teachers in Leipzig, Germany, in 2014-2015, by asking them to complete the same questionnaire 12-24 months pre-intervention, and 12 months postintervention. RESULTS: Both questionnaires were completed by 123 teachers. The number of teachers who felt they were prepared to handle an acute seizure rose from 36 (29%) pre-intervention to 65 (53%) post-intervention (p < 0.001) and their willingness to administer a prescribed rescue medication rose from 66 (54%) to 93 (76%, p < 0.001). The session also increased the number of teachers who were prepared to take children with epilepsy on excursions under any circumstance from 38 (31%) to 52 (42%, p < 0.05). In addition, the number of teachers who would place a solid object in the child's mouth during an attack fell from 16 (13%) to seven (6%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Providing a teaching session on epilepsy increased the teachers' knowledge and willingness to act and reduced obsolete, counterproductive measures.