Tracy in Ky Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Thank you. But, I am still in tears when I think about it, especially after reading this story. This is SO not this girl's fault. AT. ALL. Someone messed up. I usually have extra of the food available for my ds and didn't that day. We took the risk. STUPID!!!! I never should have allowed it. And, my son suffered. Someday, I'll forgive myself. But, he could have died. This story just drives that fact home. But, thank you. Really. It does help. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 If you read the article linked, it says that the mom *tried* to get them to keep an epipen and the school refused. I know at our American Heritage Girls group, the nurse we have says that she cannot legally administer an epipen, that the child has to do it themselves (something about state law and injections.) However, she said we need to wrap the child't hand around the epipen and "help" them administer it themselves.;) I don't know what I would do if I had a severely allergic child. What if homeschooling isn't an option? How do you keep them safe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I read about a case where a man needed five epinephrine shots after eating cookies that had been handled with the same spatula as a PB batch. The usual Epipen set only has two. Wow. One lesson we got with our Epipen is that at the same time you administer the Epipen, you dial 911, so that more epinepherine is on its way. So, if you are alone, you administer the pen, then you call. If you are not alone, your friend calls 911. You never use an Epipen without the call to 911. If it's bad enough for an Epipen, it's bad enough for a call. When I was a kid I needed epinepherine three times. This was long before Epipens. I remember being at the ER and sometimes they did have to give additional doses. Epipens just don't last long -- something like 15 or 20 minutes. It's not unusual to need additional doses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 If you read the article linked, it says that the mom *tried* to get them to keep an epipen and the school refused. I know at our American Heritage Girls group, the nurse we have says that she cannot legally administer an epipen, that the child has to do it themselves (something about state law and injections.) However, she said we need to wrap the child't hand around the epipen and "help" them administer it themselves.;) I don't know what I would do if I had a severely allergic child. What if homeschooling isn't an option? How do you keep them safe? This is the big problem. The school refused the epi-pen. Also most schools keep the epi-pens in a locked cabinet in the nurses office...so a child having a reaction must get to the nurses office were the lock will need to be undone the correct epi-pen removed and then administered. In a severe quick reaction this is too much time. Additionally the nurse wasted time calling the mother to have her pick up the child and the mother told the nurse to call 911. I am sure they had a plan but if the nurse had never had to deal with a reaction then the reactions would be slow...and sadly it resulted in the death of this little girl :( While homeschooling a child with an allergy is the best option it is not always an option. Schools need to be prepared for food allergy reactions, even if they have separate tables, signs, no peanut ect. They need to be ready to administer the epi-pen IMMEDIATELY and call 911. Its not about how the reaction happened but what happened between the allergen getting to the child and the ambulance getting to her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Wow. One lesson we got with our Epipen is that at the same time you administer the Epipen, you dial 911, so that more epinepherine is on its way. So, if you are alone, you administer the pen, then you call. If you are not alone, your friend calls 911. You never use an Epipen without the call to 911. If it's bad enough for an Epipen, it's bad enough for a call. FYI... in some states/counties ambulances don't carry epinephrine. So unless you've checked in your area, don't count on the ambulance having it. I had been investigating homeschooling in the months before our son's anaphylaxis. His was so fast and we almost missed it ourselves. After his reaction (including a hospitalization), homeschooling was an easy decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 We are talking about a life or death situation. I don't think schools should have to be responsible for that type of care in a regular classroom. Being a former PS teacher, I would NOT want to be responsible for a student that could die so quickly from an allergy. After reading the post on how easy it is to cross contaminate via crumbs, peanut on shoes from a restaurant, ect.... I would ask the child to be move to another classroom or I might even quit! Teachers want to teach, not be a nurse. When I decided at 18 to be a teacher, I had no idea how many responsibilities would be brought down on me. Asking a classroom to be peanut free is impossible. You can't monitor/make 25+ families comply to a rule as stringent as peanut free. Student who are that easily at risk of death should be at a special school/class with a full time nurse who stays in the room. Maybe it would be a good idea to hire a teacher who has a degree in nursing and education. I know all student are required by law to have a free public education, but that does not mean they have to right to impose so much on public schools. Their needs to be a safe, alternative free public education not in a regular school building for special need students. I am sorry if parents don't think this is fair and want their dc to have a "normal" school experience, but life or death situations can't fall in the "fair" category. If you want your dc to stay alive, trying to creat a "normal" experience is not reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) Wow. One lesson we got with our Epipen is that at the same time you administer the Epipen, you dial 911, so that more epinepherine is on its way. So, if you are alone, you administer the pen, then you call. If you are not alone, your friend calls 911. You never use an Epipen without the call to 911. If it's bad enough for an Epipen, it's bad enough for a call. Yeah, the rule we give anyone who cares for DD (anaphylactic reaction to bee stings) is "Don't wait; use the Epipen immediately, and then call 911. Use the second Epipen if she starts having breathing trouble before the ambulance arrives." As of yet, it is extremely rare that we leave DD with a non-parent. My parents and ILs have been taught to use the Epipens. All of the co-op teachers have been instructed that if they see bees, they should alert DD so that she can choose to move away from them, but she's allowed to do anything she feels comfortable doing. As of yet, I have remained on-site at all co-op functions, and I have kept the Epipens with me (I'm also not hard to find if I'm needed), but as she gets older, we'll be more comfortable instructing her and other adults on how to use them. (We haven't done camp yet; I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. I'd have to talk to the camp staff carefully first.) Edited January 4, 2012 by happypamama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Isn't that quite dangerous? Administering an EpiPen to someone who is not in need of it isn't really a good idea is it? Nah. The Epi-Pen side effects are the same whether or not the injection was necessary. The side effects can be unpleasant, but they're not life-threatening. Side effects may include an increase in heart rate, the sensation of a more forceful heartbeat, palpitations, sweating, nausea and vomiting, difficulty breathing, pallor, dizziness, weakness or shakiness, headache, apprehension, nervousness, or anxiety. These side effects usually subside quickly, especially if you rest. If you have high blood pressure or an overactive thyroid, these side effects may be more severe or longer lasting. If you have heart disease, you could experience chest pain (angina). If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels may increase after use. If you have Parkinson's disease, your symptoms may temporarily get worse. source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmom Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Very scary. I too have a peanut allergic child. I've had more angry and snide responses from other homeschool parents who don't like that my child couldn't be around peanuts. They just do.not.believe that exposure to peanuts can be DEADLY. I've been in the ER a few too many times because of peanut exposure (not even ingestion) and even when I tried to explain this, some moms have made it seem like I was dramatizing. My sincerest feelings of sympathy go to the poor family who lost their child. So very sad!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 The thing that bothered me was that the child was NOT given benadryl, as was listed in the Treatment Plan, and that the school didn't have an epi-pen; they told her to keep that at home. :001_huh: Allegedly, the school didn't work with the parents at all. If they wouldn't keep the epi pen, then I wouldn't send my kid. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 The thing that bothered me was that the child was NOT given benadryl, as was listed in the Treatment Plan, and that the school didn't have an epi-pen; they told her to keep that at home. :001_huh: Allegedly, the school didn't work with the parents at all. If they wouldn't keep the epi pen, then I wouldn't send my kid. Period. :iagree::iagree: If what is being reported so far is accurate, this is one of those cases where I hope the school gets the $#!$# sued out of them. But why would a parent send their kid there if that was the case??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Before any jumps on the school too heavily regarding not allowing the epipen, there is the possibility that the mother did not follow up with prescription from the doctor which they require to store it for her. There is also some question about what the mother actually did and did not do to inform the school regarding the allergy. (I happen to have a relative in that school system with a severe peanut allergy and his mother is obviously following the story closely.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 The article quotes a doctor who says peanut allergies are one of the few food allergies that cause death. It makes me wonder why peanuts and peanut products are not banned at schools. Some schools do ban them. It helps but is not perfect. Other kids have other allergies/health challenges such that, in rare instances, not having the ability to eat peanuts could be fatal to the other child. Think of a combination of allergies, rare stomach problems, and failure to thrive. Happened on another board I am on. She had like 5 foods she could eat with sufficient caloric intake vs volume of foods. peanut butter was one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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