How do you make sure that your DC always have their meds with them?

[VanellopePitstop]

After a scary reaction at the weekend we are re-thinking how we ensure that our DD always has access to her piriton.

She is 4 and when she was still just little she was almost always just with me and I make sure I have it in my handbag, with spares in the car and at relatives houses.

When she started preschool I sent some in and they have been great with it, no worries there.

When she was still in nappies it was no problem because it was in the nappy bag and that went everywhere she went. Now she is getting older we have realised that sometimes she is out without me, and if she is out with DH he doesn't carry a bag so they don't have any with them, which after our weekend scare is really not ok.

Now that she is becoming more independent how do I ensure she always has it with her? Do your DC carry a bag with them everywhere they go?

My ds is 11 so he does carry a small rucksack. You can get a few types of small medipack which can be fastened to a belt by a clip which might be ok for your dh to carry. My ds has 2 epipens and antihistamine but rather than carry a large bottle around, I asked the chemist for a small plastic medicine bottle and poured some of the antihistamine into that. It's so much easier to carry around. If you google epipen holders a whole range of bags and carriers that can be fastened to belts come up. there are also some cute little bags that look a bit like teddies for little ones to carry themselves. I'll have a look for the site and post the address if I find it.

Activeaide have quite a range and have some cute little bags, but I know there are quite a few sites with similar products. If you did put the medicine in a little bottle, you could probably get away with a tiny inhaler carrier or something.

Thanks, a teddy bag sounds perfect. Its situations where I don't expect her to be without me that are the problem.

eg. we go to the park with friends (my DC and I, another mum and her DC), all playing nicely until my youngest falls/asthma attack or whatever and I need take her home. Other mum says she'll watch the older ones and will follow me home with them in ten minutes when they've finished their game of whatever. I now realise that this means I am leaving her without her piriton anywhere nearby because my handbag went home with me.

Am I over thinking it or does she always need to have some on her? This reaction we had over the weekend really freaked me out (can you tell?? ) and now I'm worried we have been too blasé about it all.
If I hadn't been stood with her at the weekend, with my bag with me, we'd have been in a real pickle

I've also started another thread about what I should do about her possible new allergy, if you have the time to read? here

Thanks, I'll go and google those bags now.

We have a small first aid bag that goes wherever the wee one goes containing:

epi pens,
inhaler,
spacer,
piriton,
plasters,
wipes,
and a few other bits.

Wee one is 7, he has a small backpack that the medsbag can be kept in.

I'll have a look at little rucksacks then, she'll just have to take one everywhere we go. I like the Activeaide ones, think they are really sweet, but I think she might prefer something more grown up because she is a very girly girl. Maybe I'll take her out on a special shoppping trip just us to find something she likes.

My dd 7 has a small backpack with meds, my contact details,pen (if someone gives her meds they need to write down what time) and a list of what she is allergic to. You can get bags with photos of your child on so when they are left at groups like brownies it is easily identifiable.We have made the whole family responsible for the bag so that dd goes out of the house without it one of the other children remembers it.

I wouldn't have thought of a putting a pen and paper in, will do that. I thought I could get the list of allergies laminated onto card and put that in, then it won't go all tatty really quick.

We let DS choose a thermal lunch bag to keep his medication in (antihistamine, epi-pens, inhalers & spacer). He chose a Ben 10 one and it's great as it helps to keep his meds cool. We never go anywhere without the Ben 10 bag (not even the end of the drive!) and I've always encouraged to DS to try to remember it himself and sometimes he even reminds me now. We put a sticker on the front of the bag stating his name, DOB, his allergies and the medication enclosed.

Thanks, I've been out today and let her choose a rucksack. She is thrilled with it and I had to persuade her to take it off for bed tonight though I am sure the novelty will wear off pretty soon.

I've printed off and attached a tag that clearly shows her allergies and medications, hope that is clear to others - it makes sense to me!

Just need to remember it everytime we go out now. I'll try to make sure we remember as a family that we need it and when she goes out without me.

We keep ours near the front door and encourage everyone to put it back in the same place when we get home so we know where it is and remember it next time we go out.

some fab advice here.

our son carried his outside the home from 7.
was praised lavishly when he remembered to bring his meds with him without a prompt.
Having it hanging by the front door worked very well for us.

He carried,
2 epi pens.
one asthma inhaler, with small spacer.
oral prednislone, ( to be mixed in water if available and was able to drink it)
piriton. (liquid and then tablets.)
medic alert card.
Our contact details, plus allergy doc, and gp.
List of all allergies and instructions for epi pen use .

He also was given a mobile phone at 10 as he was walking to school, and being given greater independance.

Our lovely allergy nurse told me that if a child needs to use an epi pen it's best to write the time on the back of their hand so that medical staff know

We also put a small photo of dd on the box of piriton so that if she needs it at school the teacher isn't searching through all of the other kids meds to find it.