There’s no big surprise here: with both food allergies and their severity on the rise, the EpiPen has become a new childhood accessory. You can find it right up there, immediately after the perfect pair of jeans and just before a High School Musical lunch box.
EpiPen is the brand name of the original “auto-injector”. It was introduced in 1980. Like the word Kleenex is to tissue, the word EpiPen has become synonymous with any and all auto-injectors.
Doctors in the US prescribed 1.4 million EpiPens in 2003, but that was mere child’s play. By 2007, they prescribed 1.9 million EpiPens – a staggering 36 percent increase. Why? It used to be that a pediatrician would have written a prescription for 5 or 10 devices for a single patient. Now that same doctor could write a prescription for 40 or 50!
It’s not just parents stocking up on the devices for their kids. Many schools keep 50 to 60 EpiPens on hand, due to the sheer number of students with allergies.
Why are people hording Epi-Pens? Severe reactions need almost immediate delivery of epinephrine – the key ingredient in an Epi-Pen. Reactions can develop in seconds; fast action is critical. As a result, having the medical device close by can be a matter of life or death.
This is where EpiPen carriers come in. That’s right – your child can now get a fashionable holder for their auto-injectors that could be dressed up with cartoon characters. Can you believe that there is one carrier called the Epi Puppy? (I wouldn’t kid you about something like that.) It’s a puppy shaped carrying case that a young child can wear around the waist.
Taking your EpiPen with you isn’t just for little ones. For instance, if you have an older child, they might like a more discreet holster. You can get various kinds of carriers that are functional, convenient or hip, depending on your child’s preference.
What’s more important than fashion is the fact that any carrier needs to protect the EpiPen from extremes in temperature, so that it can do its job when it’s needed. When looking for a carrier, this is critical.
Whether you go for the fashionable or the functional, if you are severely allergic an EpiPen carrier makes sense. Consider it a necessary part of your outfit, like your socks or your belt.
But remember: your EpiPen will go past date about every 12 months. So, be ready to replace that old one with a fresh one, every year.
Here’s a tip: buy your year’s supply on your birthday. Then, every year as your birthday approaches, you’ll know it’s time to renew your prescription.
