Breast feeding. Allergic baby. shud i wean? - Page 2

[cat19]

Quote:
In some states, ambulance personnel aren't allowed to carry or administer epi-pens; this can mean that you are your child's only line of defense until you can get him or her to a hospital, and that can be far too long for safety.
They might not carry Epi-Pen, but they do carry other forms of effective treatment for severe allergic reactions and can administer those. Calling the ambulance rather than driving the child oneself is still the best course of action if a reaction is that severe. I vividly recall the quote in JEMS (Journal of Emergency Medical Services) from a paramedic who wished he had a nickel for every accident he'd worked caused by a parent driving their child to the ER and their distractness due to the child's emergency need leading to them having an accident.

I absolutely did not mean to suggest that you should drive your child to the hospital. I meant to suggest that you can't count on ambulance personnel in every area to be fully equipped... it is not true in every case that they can effectively treat an allergic reaction without an epi. Some people (children included) have died when they did not have access to an epi-pen and they lived in an area where emergency personnel were not allowed to carry or adminster them. This is why some states have passed legislation to change this.

certainly emergency medical personnel are better than trying to drive yoursefl; however, having immediately available epi-pens for those who can have anaphylactic reactions is a necessary supplement to emergency help in some areas.

Let me go find a link.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I wanted to say that with eczema some of the vax have the ingrediants that make it worse. One is MMR and another is CP and if you child has a egg allergy or even a suspected one they should never get the Flu shot.

My dd had severe eczema that showed up within a week of her 4month vax I knew nothing about it then and it does run in mine and dh's family. But now looking back on it I can see a clear corilation between her receiving vax and extreme flair ups.

For example within a week of her getting her CP vax I had to take her to a dermatologist and get her a steroid shot because her skin broke open and started oozing at her wrists and fingers.

Also within a week of the MMR the same thing happened at the time I didnt even consider the connection but now I know

[cat19]

Here's a link to FAAN's summary page on EMT's authority to carry epinephrine:
. To summarize, 20 states allow it, 25 are spotty in coverage (including the state where I live), and 6 don't allow it.

And here's a link to why it matters: a news story on death due to EMTs who didn't have epis

[mclisa]

We had Claire tested for allergies using the immunocap lab. We knew that she was having problems because of the extensive eczema. She ended up testing positive for 16 different foods and boy did it make a difference once she and I started eating the foods that she could have.

You might consider this because it could be more than just milk that he's allergic to. And you need to make sure you get all of the dairy out of your diet.

[Meiri]

Interesting Cat, I wasn't aware that there were still areas of this country that ran EMTs only and not Paramedics--who are the ones who generally can administer meds.

In some states EMTs can do some of what the Paramedics in PA can do. It varies so much, and I've been out of that for a few years now. I do remember being jealous that in some of the western states, where distance is so much more of an issue, the EMTs were the equivalent of Paramedics where I've lived.

mO'smom, just for your own knowledge, might be good to find out what level of emergency services you've got where you live, what they can and cannot do. Even if they cannot administer Epi, they can still most likely transport faster and more safely than by private vehicle.

[CrunchyCate]

On Allergy Testing

If you are going to do allergy testing, try to do it before an elimination diet or after you have done it and are certain of some food allergies. If someone hasn't had an allergen for awhile, they could test negative for the item, even if they are allergic. It's recommended that if you have eliminated an item (unless it's a severe allergy- like the milk appears to be), you have exposure to suspect foods within about a week before the test. For example, I am allergic to tree nuts (get itching and hives), but when I had a skin test for them, it was negative, because I hadn't eaten them in 7 years. I tried them after that, and I was still allergic!