Posted May 12th, 2009 by Nita Parsnani
Knowing when, how and where to use an
EpiPen safely and correctly is of the utmost importance when you have a child with food allergies. What you’re probably not thinking of when you pick up the EpiPen, however, is your own safety. This is when accidents can — and unfortunately do — happen.
Check out this blog entry from the Consumer Reports health blog. Nicole A. Sarrubbo, editorial associate at Consumer Reports, wrote about an experience she had going to babysit a 7-year old boy with severe allergies to a number of foods, including milk, eggs and nuts. As practice, Nicole injected an orange with an EpiPen so that she would know what to do in case the boy had an allergic reaction. However, while the boy’s mother was teaching Nicole how to use the EpiPen, she accidentally injected herself with it!
Fortunately, this particular mom only felt a bit jittery after the accidental injection, but in some cases it can cause extreme discomfort. According to a review of 26 studies in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, there were nearly 70 incidents of unintentional EpiPen injections over the course of 20 years. However, it is believed that the accidental injection rates are highly underreported.
As Nicole suggests in her blog, practicing using an EpiPen is important so that if an allergic reaction was to occur, you feel prepared. However, it’s a good idea to always be prepared by keeping extra supplies on hand, incase you accidentally inject yourself. And remember to handle the EpiPen with care, even if you are only demonstrating how to use it.
- Nita
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Posted November 25th, 2008 by Nita Parsnani
The EpiPen. According to an article on MSNBC.com, doctors prescribed 1.9 million EpiPens in 2007, a 36 percent increase from 2003, when 1.4 million were prescribed. Since food allergies are on the rise, this comes as no surprise.
The pocket-sized, life-saving EpiPen has cultivated quite a following. It “auto injects a pre-measured dose of epinephrine to someone experiencing anaphylaxis, a severe whole-body allergic reaction.” Some parents have 10 or more EpiPens around the house at all times, as well as at school, in the car and on their allergy-prone little one.
Stylish EpiPen carriers and portable pouches have even emerged. There are carriers covered in cartoon characters for the younger kids and discreet leg straps for the older kids that might be a bit self-conscience.
For many years, the EpiPen was one-of-a-kind. Currently, there is another company that makes a similar product, but the EpiPen has maintained 97 percent of the market.
For the entire EpiPen article, click here.
- Nita
