Living with Food Allergies, 2013 and on

[YouKnowWho]

Tell him he has a large contingent of allergy moms and sufferers that said he did the right thing!  This should matter way more than an ER dr that sees a few allergic reactions (and are often clueless about when an epi pen is needed, ie difficulty breathing only).  If he felt he needed the pen, he did the right thing and he needs to learn that what he feels is WAY more important than how others who have no idea how he is feeling inside.

Proud of him - it is scary to use that pen!!

[PurpleCat]

Two thumbs up from me too! 

He did not question or wait and he did what he was taught to do - he knew something was not right! 

And those ER people, in our experience, have not enough experience dealing with anaphylaxis. 

[TabiCat]

The thing is they thought it was crazy that he had easy access to them. " You know it's really important to keep drugs and medication out for the reach of children <pause > like him..." Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I end up with a call to family services. Like he had just been playing around with them. I tried to explain that he has been trained to carry it and to use it. I just never really dreamed he would be the first of us to actually use it. 

His Dr (our family doc) came to the hospital and told him he did a good job and he was proud of him for not being afraid. His concern was to get DS to tell a grown up. He was afraid if something went wrong in a reaction and DS was alone we wouldn't know he was in trouble.

I no longer doubt that it was needed but I am wondering what happened. He had trouble telling us what he was feeling that night. Today he was telling his one-2-one that he had hives and was HOT and his head was dizzy. It is sounding less and less like contact with weeds and more like ingestion. He ate candy that we checked and approved but MIL put unsafe stuff in DD's basket because one she thinks we are over protective and two " he knows not to eat peanuts". I wonder if he took something from her basket and no one saw it. Either that or we have been too lose with our comfort zone.

They ordered blood work.

[twinturbo]

I tell ER/EMS "That sounds like a great conversation you could have with our allergist, Dr. Allergist, about his orders and current best practices." I do the same when they complain my kids can't talk. Take it up with the SLP.

[LinksEtc]

I agree with TT ... for things like this, fall back on your physician's authorization to self-carry/self-admin. 

I'm glad he is ok.   

[Macabre]

That is pretty much amazing. The first time he had it, HE did it. He knew and he did it. As someone who has not only had to administer it to DS bit also to myself, I know show very brave your DS is. Even when I've known I've needed it, I wanted to hear confirmation from DH on the phone. Your DS--wow. Just wow.

What bothers me is that they told him to go tell y'all first. He might not have time to so that in a reaction. Better for him not to have the self doubt of needing to ask first. He did comes d tell you, right?  Afterward?  But the thing is--he was able to come tell you. In an emergency situation, without the Epi that opportunity might be lost

Could his safe candy have been prepackaged with unsafe stuff, contaminating the wrappers of the safe candy?

[TabiCat]

Honestly I think it's a function of his literal thinking.

This+that = this

I would have spent several minutes trying to decide. He has difficultly expressing how he feels, add in that we didn't see any ingestion, I likely would have waited too long.

[YouKnowWho]

Honestly I think it's a function of his literal thinking.

This+that = this

I would have spent several minutes trying to decide. He has difficultly expressing how he feels, add in that we didn't see any ingestion, I likely would have waited too long.

Which is why my first thought is to applaud him - he may not have been able to verbalize it immediately but he knew he needed the epi pen.  That is AWESOME!

[Janelle205]

This is a living with asthma comment, but I'm going to assume that is ok.  I have two asthma meds that come in sealed bottles that have to be drawn with a syringe.  Since I don't actually inject them, I can reuse a syringe several times before it has to be tossed.

Occasionally with food allergies and asthma, you have those moments where you realize that your life is different than that of 'normal' people.  I had one of those today.  I was trying to draw a med while coughing, and slipped and jabbed myself pretty hard.  I was annoyed, but not because it hurt and I was bleeding.  Annoyed because that meant that the new syringe was contaminated and had to be tossed.

[CMdeux]

I know exactly what you mean, Janelle-- it's one of those moments when you realize that this thought, never mind not occurring to someone else in the first place--  wouldn't even make SENSE to anyone else.   

Honestly I think it's a function of his literal thinking.

This+that = this



I would have spent several minutes trying to decide. He has difficultly expressing how he feels, add in that we didn't see any ingestion, I likely would have waited too long.

Which is why my first thought is to applaud him - he may not have been able to verbalize it immediately but he knew he needed the epi pen.  That is AWESOME!

Exactly-- this is one instance in which that very literalism is a good thing. 

[spacecanada]

TabiCat, you have one awesome kid!  Great job on using the EpiPen properly and (then) seeking help from an adult.   

As an adult who can recall the grading chart by memory and frequently refer to it for random symptoms, I still find it hard to know when to Epi.  Kudos to him.  I admire his self-recognition and treatment of symptoms.   

[GoingNuts]

At work, must be quick. Tabi, your son is awesome. What a smart, brave kiddo.  to both of you.

[CMdeux]

The fact that my spouse just booked a flight on American means that I'm wondering uneasily whether or not I should, you know-- cover the seats of the car... and isolate his luggage....



Kind of hate thinking things like that.  Oh sure-- it SEEMS paranoid.  And how crappy would I feel for NOT doing it now that the risk has occurred to me??  How much worse would I feel if DD had a problem because I didn't??   

[Macabre]

I have a thread about that in OT.

I heart American.  If course DS is not allergic to treenuts. But American only serves tn in first class. And no peanuts.

I'd pick American over United any day. We've flown American and US Air a lot.

[LinksEtc]

I need to have a small procedure done.  The woman asks me if I'm allergic to contrast dye ... I tell her not that I know of, but I don't remember if I've ever had it ...

and this is when I think you fine folks  ...

She tells me not to worry because they have the Benadryl ready.  I couldn't resist ... I mentioned my understanding that Benadryl doesn't stop ana, epi recommended.  She said they used to give epi in those cases, but stopped due to worries of heart issues.  Then she reassured me that they do have a crash cart, but they don't like to talk about that ... Lol, is it wrong that I find this funny in a warped way.

Hmmm ... warm, fuzzy feelings indeed  ...

Is it wrong that I think I'll take my chances rather than risk annoying a doc with a printout of the NIH recommendations?