Not sure about you, but as a food allergy parent there have definitely been some eye roll moments during my parenting journey as I've tried to help my my oldest son navigate allergic living. The fact that food allergy care protocols have evolved since my son was little in the early to mid-2000's, while great for the new-to-food-allergy families today, can sometimes make it challenging to update & refresh ingrained habits formed 15+ years ago.
For example, carrying 2 epi autoinjectors — in our early days of food allergy parenting it was 'carry AN autoinjector.' Now it's 'Carry 2.'
Our older son is great about keeping one of his epinephrine autoinjectors with him. But it falls apart when I ask him to 'Carry 2'.
It's been quite a few years since he's had anaphylaxis, so maybe the memory of the incident is fuzzy around the edges by now.
"It's too much hassle, too bulky. One will be fine. I've got this, Mom."
No. He doesn't.
He will acquiesce and take 2 when he travels, but only after being subjected to the sustained 'encouragement' {nagging?} that only an allergy mom can dish. But, it's the everyday to-ing and fro-ing I really worry about.
Wish I could have a few do-overs because with my today knowledge I would have been sure that carrying 2 was a firmly embedded HABIT from his earliest years of self-carry.
If you are having tough conversations like mine with your young adult, and eye rolls at the mere mention of Carry 2, I'm sharing some information here that will equip you with the facts behind Carry 2.
My hope is that the info can help you approach your Carry 2 'negotiation' with your food allergic teen or young adult with more logic and less emotion. Tough discussions with my son always seem go better when my point of departure are evidence-based facts.
Remember to breathe, Mom. You've got this.
Equip yourself with the facts behind 'Why Carry TWO'
Read this post by Red Sneakers for Oakley
Read this article from Snack Safely
Make carrying epinephrine x2 ridiculously convenient
One suggestion is a SPIBELT
Another idea is a FLIPBELT
Or, take a look at this one from Under Armour,
Or this one from lululemon
About the Author: Gayle Rigione is CEO of Allergy Force, the food allergy app. She’s also an allergy mom. She’s lived the heart stopping moments when her son ate the wrong thing, second guessed reactions and raced to the ER. These experiences inspire her to create tech tools and educational resources for people with food allergies. Whatever you do, do it with a full heart. Audentes Fortuna Iuvat
Image: Dakota Monk on Burst