How young can a child learn to do their own ep-pen and carry it themselves?

[lnitti]

That's it.  Just wondering what age I should be teaching my daughter this and when it is feasible.  Is 5 too young?  She is turning 4 shortly, but next year she will be 5 and in kindergarten.

[insidevoice]

I wouldn't want a child that age self-administering. Mostly because the effect of the epipen itself are pretty scary for a lot of people, and because- even if they are able to self-admin, they NEED someone to get them additional help quickly. They still have very small airways, and further treatment has to take place faster than with an older child or adult.  Additionally, they don't have a good concept of time, in general, and proper administration- and judgment of NEED for administration are not necessarily there yet.

My daughter is now 9, and will be 10 soon.  It is only very recently that I know she will be able to both self administer appropriately AND make sure followup care is in place immediately.  Also, she's just learned when she does and doesn't need to consider use of the pen. (She has an allergy to bees- severe to some, not AS severe to others.  She only needs the pen if the reaction is severe, and her judgment  of when that is or is not happening has just firmed up enough for me to trust her to make the right decision. 

[Caneel]

Originally Posted by insidevoice 

I wouldn't want a child that age self-administering. Mostly because the effect of the epipen itself are pretty scary for a lot of people, and because- even if they are able to self-admin, they NEED someone to get them additional help quickly. They still have very small airways, and further treatment has to take place faster than with an older child or adult.  Additionally, they don't have a good concept of time, in general, and proper administration- and judgment of NEED for administration are not necessarily there yet.

My daughter is now 9, and will be 10 soon.  It is only very recently that I know she will be able to both self administer appropriately AND make sure followup care is in place immediately.  Also, she's just learned when she does and doesn't need to consider use of the pen. (She has an allergy to bees- severe to some, not AS severe to others.  She only needs the pen if the reaction is severe, and her judgment  of when that is or is not happening has just firmed up enough for me to trust her to make the right decision. 

We are dealing with yet undiagnosed, rather severe allegeries in our family.  I was told by the doctor that an epi pen gives you time to get emergecy treatment, it isn't a treatment alone, so I think inside's post is a good one.  I think most kids need to be a bit older to grasp the judgement of what makes up that 10 seconds.  My son can count to 10 and knows the Mississsippi trick but at 6 yo, I don't know that he could truly do the 10 second injection, or even listen for the clicks, under pressure and stress.

And I also agree that the effects are scary.  I had one injection and it was 1000x worse that what I was told to expect.