8 year old carrying an Epipen at school? Is there an alternative?

[AndOutComeTheBoobs]

Ds has just been prescribed the adult epipen (was children's) because he's anaphylactic to 5 different foods.

We used to have 6 (and lucky to, I hear this is rare) 2 at home, 2 at school and 2 with the childminder.
Now there's a shortage and quite understandably we are only allowed two.

I'm perfectly happy (and would prefer) for DS to carry the epipens on him at all times.

However the school will only pass medicine between adults and won't allow this.

This gives huge scope for error.

It means going to the school office every morning and afternoon. This means I have to go in to drop DS rather than drop him outside.
It means the childminder has to go out of her way to collect the epipens despite having to collect several children from different parts of the school. It means her or I might for get on a Friday and he does the whole weekend without them.

Can I argue with the school that he should carry them on him? It's not like antibiotics or calpol, this is life saving and our situation has changed. Do I have any legs to stand on here?

Haud you are coming across a bit aggressive. The OP dc has been put on the adult dose at 7 as well and I am sure that his consultant is aware of the reasons.This would suggest to me that her dc has a severe allergy, it’s not a competition of whose child has the worst allergy. You don’t know how many instances of anaphylactic shock her child has had because the OP hasn’t mentioned that. She is talking about the safety of her child who is as important to her as yours is to you.

If anything you should be supportive as you clearly have had similar experiences.

• consultant has their reasons

I have never known a case where one epi shot has worked effectively, guidelines are guidelines. The initial epi shot in my experience is enough to buy time to get paramedics there with more adrenaline, never enough to stop an attack!

Op I bought online, and I’ve used one I bought online and worked as you would expect from an epipen so don’t be frightened but do check out the websites first.

It’s absolutely crazy how many schools think a child could go calmly and ask a teacher to go to the office and get their epipen! Jesus within seconds I’m out of it, my brain doesn’t usually have time to process the fact that I think I’m having a reaction!

We had this with DSS. I pleaded for another two so we had 4. Two at home and two at the childminder. Fortunately the school held a pair centrally (in the office) for all the children who needed them. We had to ask the school to request adult ones when DSS got too big. Whenever he went to a playdate though we put them in the bottom of his school bag in a sealed container. There was no other option other than him missing out. He was sensible though and would never have got them out.
They have to carry them around with them at secondary school though. In my view it's far better to educate them younger about it (and their closest friends) rather than let loose when they leave primary.

And to the person saying they’re getting wasted because they don’t get used, well that idea is insane tbh! The most recent reactions I’ve had are: someone dropping a medication I’m allergic to (OTC ibuprofen) into my hand and my partner taking it and kissing me. Seems impossible yes but as much as I protect myself I can’t bloody control others so there really is no way of saying they’re wasted if they don’t get used. I’m also allergic to bee stings but haven’t been stung in ten years, doesn’t mean I won’t get stung this summer, in fact I almost feel like I’m due one

However the school will only pass medicine between adults and won't allow this

Ds's school tried this bollox when he was at middle school even though he'd been carrying his epi pens in his book bag since he was 5.

I told them Ds would not be coming into school unless he was able to carry his epi pen with him as prescribed by the consultant.

That was the end of that

The whole point of an epi pen is that you have it on you/near you at all times as every person in a school who has done epi pen training should know!

I know people who have been prescribed epipens for years and never needed them, so they have all run out and been wasted. Is the nhs saving money?

If you mean they haven't been used then good,they shouldn't be used ideally,they are vital medicine only to be used in a emergency.

My dad has always been prescribed 4 epi pens from the off too.

Haud you are coming across a bit aggressive

My apologies as this is not my intention, but to factually give out the correct information out, as people commenting saying “just go to the GP and get more”

I haven’t really commented on the OP only to say that the schools policy hasn’t changed, her DS would still have his medicine at school.

it’s still the same policy, only difference is that OP cannot leave a supply at school.

Even if the child had additional supplies they would still not be allowed the pens on themselves, they is policy and procedures in place for Epipens within schools.

OP has medicine, however her complaint is that she and her child minder will be heavily inconvenienced by not having the additional 4 pens, unfortunately millions world wide and in this very situation and until more medicine is manufactured then the pharmacy protocol will remain.

I think people are confusing the situation as schools policy has remained the same. The only thing that has changed in this situation is that the OP cannot have additional al Epipens at school, childminder and at home at the same time.

Of course ideally we would like this, but unfortunately we can’t due to the manufacturers not be able to manufacture a key component of the medicine hence the global shortage.

I’ve advised OP she needs to have a care plan in place, (she should already have one with the school and childminder anyway) to have the pens signed in and out at all care providers.

I sign my sons medi pac bag in every day and have to sign it out every night, it’s frustrating and inconvenient as hell, but what’s the alternative... I have an extra 2 pens lying around when people can’t even access one.

My ds has no Epipens for 5 weeks (his expired passed the 4 month expiry date) my in-laws live in Turkey and they managed to get 2 Epipens with one month left till expiry (then the 4 months) passed expiry at a cost of £300, until our local pharmacies could get us some.

My comment to stressed, wasn’t about whose child is worse, (and if I came across that way, again I apologise) she had commented previously and then again stating that a 7-8 year old would not be prescribed adults Epipens, hence why I commented on the circumstances as to why my son was prescribed adult epipens.

I am very supportive of he OP, as I’ve said I haven’t really commented towards the OP, just initially saying she is BU to think she should have 4 additional pens as it’s an inconvenience to her and her childminder.

Most of my posts are commenting towards other posters.

I was told my son could only have 2, I explained why this wasn’t ok and they gave in and gave me 4. Also do keep your out of date ones because they’ve been proven to work just as well for a long time after expiry as long as the solution isn’t discoloured. I would press the issue with the head, explain he’s old enough to look after them. Also the pharmacy told me (before they gave in!) that the reason it had gone down to 2 was because schools now have their own epipens to use on children. If this isn’t the case at your child’s school then you need to keep advocating for him. It’s too risky not to.

The problem with keeping out of date ones is that they aren't enough for him.

He needs the adult dose now.

OP

The national shortage is only for EpiPen brand!! There’s no shortage for other brands (emeralds, He drug is the exact same as I’m sure you know...

We went through “the shortage” thing too and both children are in two different places - one’s in school and one is in nursery and they are then minded by a nanny.

2 x school
2 x nanny
2 x school
2 x nappy bag
2 x for daughter when not in school
(As the kids are often not together)

Daughter had anaphylaxis twice this past 6 months and our pens were found out of date everywhere so they changed her to emerade for newer ones and occasionally a Epipen cones our way too.

You’ll never manage that scenario all day long... he will end oh without pens at some point

Good luck

I think people are confusing the situation as schools policy has remained the same. The only thing that has changed in this situation is that the OP cannot have additional al Epipens at school, childminder and at home at the same time.

And some of us, who are not confused, are simply pointing out the flaws in the schools policy. Current or new.

The fact the policy hasn’t changed doesn’t mean the OP can’t see new information or hear stories, like the one about the inset day role play I told her, and want a change because she realises there is now another issue with the policy.

*emerade
Sorry for typos!