New to kid's food allergy

[Jaime4004]

Ahhh! Help me remember to carry an epipen for DS!!! He had an anaphylactic reaction to melon (confirmed with blood test) a few weeks ago. Has oral allergy syndrome so had mild reactions to most raw fruit/veggies but now is supposed to carry an epipen. The school is very good at it, he has one with nurse and one in backpack, knows how to use it, teachers/lunch monitors are all aware. But bad mom keeps forgetting it at home. He's 10 and I know that he needs to learn to remember it too, but it's new for all of us. For example, we were going out to eat a few days ago. I thought about it all day, kept reminding myself that I needed to bring it. What happened? Got to the restaurant and realized that we forgot it. It's not the melon allergy that i'm worried about, that's easy enough to avoid, it's that another food allergy will appear and we'll be caught off guard, as we were to this one...

 

[scdak]

Curious to see the answers, I am a nurse in an ER and see people (kids and adults) come in with serious allergies and they tell me that they keep forgetting to carry theirs with them. Hopefully I can hear some thoughts here that I can pass on to them when I discharge them, many times I have been told they can't figure out how to remember it.

 

[Jaime4004]

Curious to see the answers, I am a nurse in an ER and see people (kids and adults) come in with serious allergies and they tell me that they keep forgetting to carry theirs with them. Hopefully I can hear some thoughts here that I can pass on to them when I discharge them, many times I have been told they can't figure out how to remember it.

I'm a nurse also, which makes me feel worse for forgetting it! It's only been a few weeks so i'm hoping with time it will become habit to take it with us. Until then, i'd love to know what works for others.

 

[mistysue]

Do you carry a purse or a wallet?
My son's epi pens live in my purse. When he is with DH they go where his wallet is, which gets moved to a bag when he is around.
You could also try putting it in its own little case that could hang on a nail by the door handle when you are home so you have to move it out of the way or take it every time you leave.

 

[tiggergal15]

My daughter has latex and allergic reactions so I made a bag up and keep it by our door with a sign that says..take me..it is also attatched to my car and house keys by a string so I can use my car and bag sits on front seat next to me or floor if there is a passenger. With keys attached it is rarely forgotten . when not driving I just slip keys into bag and use as purse . hope this helps.

 

[Jaime4004]

Do you carry a purse or a wallet?
My son's epi pens live in my purse. When he is with DH they go where his wallet is, which gets moved to a bag when he is around.
You could also try putting it in its own little case that could hang on a nail by the door handle when you are home so you have to move it out of the way or take it every time you leave.

I rarely carry a purse or wallet but when I do remember to take it, i've been putting it in one. For years i've only carried a cell phone that had a pocket for my license and credit card. So it's an adjustment

My daughter has latex and allergic reactions so I made a bag up and keep it by our door with a sign that says..take me..it is also attatched to my car and house keys by a string so I can use my car and bag sits on front seat next to me or floor if there is a passenger. With keys attached it is rarely forgotten . when not driving I just slip keys into bag and use as purse . hope this helps.

I'll probably leave a note on the door to remind me to take it. I had a note on it for a while that said "lock garbage" because if I forgot, i'd come home to the dogs ripping it apart. Now it's in my brain so I always remember. Hopefully it'll work for the epipen

 

[Mum23]

My DS has been carrying his Epi's in a SPI belt since first grade. We They are kept hanging on the key rack so when we leave we have to "work around them" which *usually* triggers it.

For now, I would put a note on the door. A big RED note until it becomes your habit! Also, he should always have 2 with him at all times. There are several reasons for this (malfunction of a unit, needing a second dose if the emergency squad hasn't arrived yet, arriving squad doesn't carry epi and so on). Always 2 at all times!

 

[Dislover1991]

Well hello fellow nurses

I have a severe peanut allergy and since having a bad reaction a few years ago, I keep an epipen with me at all times. Even at work (at a hospital) I keep it in my bag with my stuff. When on vacation, my mom always carried a spare with her too. Allergy bracelets are also a great idea!

 

[amberjean15]

My 2 year old has a severe beef allergy that requires us to carry an epi pen at all times. I found a cool epi pen carrying case on line that is insulated and has a key ring on it so I can just hook it on my purse (or diaper bag). It has his allergy listed on the outside along with instructions.

 

[Glittercat]

The sign on the door, and the epi pen in your purse sound like great ideas! Also, did his doc suggest a medical alert bracelet? If so that could be a great visual reminder for both of you, and a safety measure for the future. Wishing you both the very best!

 

[LoveMMC]

For our son we put it in a backpack(light string one) and put the bag on a command hook at the front door, this helped us.

With his papa, stashing it in the diaper bag- we were struggling to remember. We made a rule to put it there and we no longer forget.

 

[Jaime4004]

The sign on the door, and the epi pen in your purse sound like great ideas! Also, did his doc suggest a medical alert bracelet? If so that could be a great visual reminder for both of you, and a safety measure for the future. Wishing you both the very best!

No alert bracelet, so far it's a pretty easily avoidable allergy. We'll see if new ones pop up. But the sign and purse are working so far. I'm getting used to carrying a bag with me. And got an insulated case with a hook so it'll be easier for DH to carry also, hopefully...

 

[jec6613]

You can also get a few EpiPens, and carry them in a few places. My best friend does this, they're pretty cheap and so she keeps one with her at one at home.

Also, a tiny pill pack with Benadryl powder capsules and Aspirin, you can even get one that goes in your wallet. Everybody should carry them anyway, but the Benadryl can buy you time if the EpiPen isn't there with you (the Aspirin is for heart attacks). Long shelf life, thermo stable within reason, et cetera. They're the two drugs that you can carry that can be literally life saving!

Oh, and carry a wallet card for both you, DH and DS. It's much easier to hand that to an EMT than try to explain everything if you're in a panic (or he's having a reaction on his own without you two around). You can print your own, or get them made: conditions and allergies on one side, contact information on the other.

 

[Jaime4004]

You can also get a few EpiPens, and carry them in a few places. My best friend does this, they're pretty cheap and so she keeps one with her at one at home.

Also, a tiny pill pack with Benadryl powder capsules and Aspirin, you can even get one that goes in your wallet. Everybody should carry them anyway, but the Benadryl can buy you time if the EpiPen isn't there with you (the Aspirin is for heart attacks). Long shelf life, thermo stable within reason, et cetera. They're the two drugs that you can carry that can be literally life saving!

Oh, and carry a wallet card for both you, DH and DS. It's much easier to hand that to an EMT than try to explain everything if you're in a panic (or he's having a reaction on his own without you two around). You can print your own, or get them made: conditions and allergies on one side, contact information on the other.

We have the oral dissolving benadryl tabs everywhere you can imagine, been doing that for years.

Summer is watermelon season so it's everywhere. They just had a school party with it a few days ago. And he went to a pool party today that had it. Remembered the epipen

 

[Mum23]

Everybody should carry them anyway, but the Benadryl can buy you time if the EpiPen isn't there with you (the Aspirin is for heart attacks).

I agree with carrying the benadryl but it should NEVER be taken in place of epi. Benadryl will not stop an ana reaction and Epis should always be with a person with anaphylactic allergies.

(I'm sure you all know this but just my allergy mom for many years $.02 !!)

 

[jec6613]

I agree with carrying the benadryl but it should NEVER be taken in place of epi. Benadryl will not stop an ana reaction and Epis should always be with a person with anaphylactic allergies.

(I'm sure you all know this but just my allergy mom for many years $.02 !!)

It actually does stop it in sufficiently high (but still safe) doses, but it doesn't usually get into the bloodstream fast enough (family member is an EMT, I learned quite a few of these little tricks). It's not a replacement for an EpiPen, as of course the drugs work completely differently, but it can buy you a few minutes of time if EMTs are 10 minutes out!

 

[Jaime4004]

I agree with carrying the benadryl but it should NEVER be taken in place of epi. Benadryl will not stop an ana reaction and Epis should always be with a person with anaphylactic allergies.

(I'm sure you all know this but just my allergy mom for many years $.02 !!)

The benadryl is the for the itchy mouth/swollen lips from oral allergy syndrome. Happened a few times in random places (like eating in the car) before it became a habit to carry it everywhere. Now I need the epipen to become a habit. We do have a few sets but I can't leave them in the cars...

 

[Starwind]

I'm the one with anaphylaxis in our house, and never had problems remember to bring the Epipens. I have an Epipen and an Allerject each in their own pouch that "live" in my purse. When I leave the house the purse comes with me, simple as that. If for some reason I do not want to bring the purse (e.g. walk around he park, then I take the epipen pouch out and it comes with me, then goes back in the purse when I get home.

I also have two extra epipens in the medicine drawer in the bedroom.

And an epipen in a pouch on top of my desk at work, under the poster explaining how to use an epipen (poster was free, from the company that makes epipens, you can get then from their website).


I think for the OP, the easiest for the parent will be to always carry the Epipen (.e.g put it in the purse and leave it there and always take the purse - you'll have trouble paying at the resturant without the purse; and if you normally would only bring a credit card, well, you need to change how you do things and carry more because you now need to carry an epipen everywhere, plain and simple), and to get a good carrier that the son can carry all the time and have him use it, always (e.g. there are good waist belts, etc designed specifically for this purpose, even if some of the time the carrier is put into a backpack). This way there is also the backup of the parent having one too when the parent is around.

SW

 

[Mum23]

"
Epinephrine is the treatment of choice for anaphylaxis. Delays in the administration of epinephrine are associated with an increased risk of death. Antihistamines do not treat life threatening symptoms; therefore if used then antihistamines CANNOT be allowed to delay the use of epinephrine (NIAID Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States). Discuss whether or not antihistamines are included in your child’s emergency care plan with your healthcare provider.

From AllergyHome’s Food Allergy Myth vs. Fact Facebook Awareness Campaign Feb. 2013"

 

[ah1126]

My little allergy guy is only 2, so he can't carry it. We have 3 sets, one stays in the house, one in my purse and one at Grandma's house. If I leave him with someone outside of our home, I leave the set from my purse. My insurance won't approve all 3 sets at once, but we were able to stagger them.