Teen carries one epipen

[CMdeux]

I'd go with more officially-sourced material than that.  Why?  She'll argue with anecdote coming from mom as being "cherry-picked" and certainly as "but that will never happen to me"-itis, courtesy of adolescent hubris-- but not with peer-reviewed or "expert" advice.


KWIM?


(Why yes, I do happen to be familiar with this particular model of child.  War zone is about right sometimes.  Yikes.)

[GingerPye]

What gets me is that she has been to FAAN's teen summit twice now --- they talk about this very thing --- and obviously peer pressure  and not wanting to look different is so much stronger.

[Macabre]

I wish my DS could talk with her and tell her how lucky she's got it, being a girl. Seriously. At least with this thing there is nothing visibly different like there is for boys. Okay, we'll, I think at some point they'll probably meet, but I'm certain when they do they won't want to talk epis.   

I see what you mean by persuasion now CM. You're not meaning cajoling.

I will look for stories.

And you should think about the Auvi-Q. DS LOVES it.

[Macabre]

So this isn't anecdotal. When I had my Ana reaction in December to sesame I gave myself epi and within 30 minutes I needed a second dose. The hospital gave one as SOP, but I was starting to feel symptoms again.

[LinksEtc]

Not sure how convincing something like this will be, but here are a few articles ...

"Use of multiple doses of epinephrine in food-induced anaphylaxis in children."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18547626

In this referral population of children and adolescents with multiple food allergies, 19% of food-induced anaphylactic reactions were treated with more than 1 dose of epinephrine

----------

"Multicenter Study of Repeat Epinephrine Treatments for Food-Related Anaphylaxis"
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/4/e711.full.pdf

Among children with food-related anaphylaxis who received epinephrine, 12% received a second dose. Results of this study support the recommendation that children at risk for food-related anaphylaxis carry 2 doses of epinephrine.

[CMdeux]

PERFECT!


  I was just coming back to post some of those, and Links was already Johnny-on-the-spot.  Or maybe Janey-on-the-spot.  Either way, I  her so, so much. 

[Janelle205]

Once at school, the school nurse didn't inset the epi correctly into DS' leg and had to use a second one.

In addition - the last time I used epi, I almost pulled it out nearly instantly.  It did not hurt AT ALL (this might have had something to do with the not breathing thing), but I decided to hold it in case it had worked and I didn't feel it - which is lucky, because that was the case.  I usually have three with me (one in a belt loop carrier and two in my purse), but had I pulled it out, I very likely would have needed another one.

[GoingNuts]

And along with that strong need for autonomy, also comes overconfidence in their ability to handle certain situations.  Ask me how I know. 

We had the one epipen convo as well.  AFAIK, he's back to carrying 2, especially now that he's switched to the Auvi.

Just don't ask about his Medic-Alert bracelet.  The thing that has been on his wrist continuously since the age of 3 is suddenly "uncomfortable". So he took it off to sleep.  And now it's lost, and he can't seem to,find the time to order a new one.   

I've told him several times that on a college campus if someone is puking or passed out, people assume intoxication, not anaphylaxis.  Gah!  Just wait until he gets home...

[PurpleCat]

Since my DD's recent anaphylaxis we have spoken with the allergist and later the EMT who took care of her.  The EMT had never seen such a significant reaction as the epi wore off.  We were at the hospital so he just saw what happened.  When we talked later he said he had not seen that before and knows he would have had to epi her a second time if the ambulance ride was a bit longer. 

The allergist was not surprised and right away asked if we had a second epi if needed.  At all times was my answer.

DD carries 2, no question (auvi q now and she loves that they take up much less space).  I always have 1.  At home we have 2 more and at school there are 2 more.  Always a minimum of 2.

Please tell your DD, it changes fast.  My DD was doing very well with the first dose, but when it started to change and the ER meds had not kicked in yet...it was fast and scary and she even needed respiratory to come up and give her a breathing treatment along with all the other meds.  So not only do you worry about a malfunction, but also time and how long it takes to be in medical care.

[twinturbo]

Just from the stance of carrying multiple EAIs it's made a huge dimensional difference being able to carry a few 'mint tins' with my 'giant magic markers'. No more hot dog shoplifter coat.

[GingerPye]

Links, thanks so much for those links!!  I am printing those for DD. 
Thanks also to everyone who has shared a story here. 
I need to put written info under DD's nose.  She doesn't believe me; and she doesn't believe anything anecdotal.  She truly is at that phase where she thinks she is invincible, and that one epi will save her life should she need it.  I'll be looking into the Auvi Q this summer when we visit the allergist. 

[GingerPye]

just adding more thoughts:  I've always had my kids carry two epis.  Never ever have I said only one was okay.   My kids have been self-carrying for years now.  I don't know why she suddenly thinks just one epi is okay.  Last night she told me that she has only been carrying one epi "forever" and had no idea that she was supposed to carry two.  (yeah right)  She carries one in her pencil case for school and one in her purse for everywhere else.  "Why would I want to have to move epipens from one case to another all the time?"
I just about lost it. 

So I guess I need to make sure she has THREE epis.  She carries one at school because there are two other epis in the building.  I had no idea that she was carrying only the one epi everywhere else.  Yeah, Dumb Mom.  Every time I asked "Do you have your epipenS?" she answered yes.  I thought she had two with her.

[CMdeux]

DD and I talked about this yesterday...

there are a pair of factors at work with adolescents, and both of them are the product of peculiar brain development that occurs during adolescence.

1.  They are aware of statistics-- but 100% confident (and that should be a red flag right there) on an emotional level that they will ever be one of them.  This is why they take risks which are frankly CRAZY, like texting and driving... but it's only part of the reason, since

2.  They also firmly believe that (and this is so irrational that it makes me laugh and shake my head every time I consider it, but I've seen WAY too many adolescents, and they ALL thought like this)-- I'll do something about it if it, you know, seems like it is going to matter.

3.  They believe in their competence in ways that are not evidence supported.  My 13yo fully believes, for example, that it would be "safer" for HER to drive than to ride in a car with a drunk peer behind the wheel.  In spite of me repeatedly pointing out that her improved reaction time and alertness would in NO way make up for the fact that she has exactly zero road experience.



So this second point.

Yes, this is why they'll HOLD a bicycle helmet and think "I've got it in case I need it."

SERIOUSLY??  Oh.  Okay.  I'm going to use my superpowers to halt time just for a sec while I don my protective gear in preparation for being knocked off of my bicycle by that two ton vehicle.   

Honestly, the only way to really get through to them on that score is to... allow something truly awful to happen to them.  In real time, they tend to understand that accidents are NOT necessarily forseeable, and that they happen in an instant.  This is why you wear a seatbelt ALL the time in the car.

Adults with more life experience seem to just KNOW this.  Teens, not so much.  It's as though they haven't really been tuned in to their surroundings and paying attention all this time or something, for the amount that their sum of life experience has taught them on this particular subject.  They SHOULD know.  And they do-- theoretically.  DD and I had an explicit conversation about risk and teens yesterday touching upon all three points.  She agrees with me that items one and two are true, and when I walked her to the natural conclusions on point two, she was sheepish and admitted that this is EXACTLY what she and her friends are thinking.  "Oh, it's fine-- and if it isn't, I'll take action then."

So if you need more than one dose of epinephrine, you'll start carrying one?  wish really hard while you struggle to breathe?  What?  I'd love to hear that explanation.

[CMdeux]

Honestly, Ginger, in your case in particular (and not unique, sadly) the mismatch in parental message is probably not helping here.

Kids who hear mixed messages about what is "necessary" with respect to epinephrine tend to dismiss BOTH extremes in favor of what suits themselves.

At least she does carry the one everywhere, yes?  So in her mind, this probably IS a compromise position relative to "but I'm not going to be eating anything, so I don't need them."

I'm afraid that you may have to tackle a number of misconceptions with something like a position paper on anaphylaxis risk management.

[GingerPye]

CM, I'm not sure what you mean by the parental mismatch?  The mixed messages?

Yes, she carries the one everywhere.  Tells me that I should trust her on that.


We've never used an epipen before, either.  For either kid.  DD had anaphylaxis a few times at the hospital as a baby.  She remembers none of that, of course. 

Sometimes I wonder about these allergies, if they really exist anymore.  I would think she would have had an anaphylactic episode at some point since babyhood. 

But that's a whole 'nother thread.

But because of no memory of her experiences with anaphylaxis, it just isn't gonna happen to her, in her mind.