I guess I have mixed feelings here, too. I mean, I think this is a GREAT article, and I'm not in
any way downplaying the importance of having epi on hand (which I think SHOULD just be a complete no-brainer like having AED's at schools)...
but it seems to me that schools
really don't get certain things, and one of them is exactly what anaphylaxis
really looks like to begin with. Hint: it isn't any "ONE" thing-- or any pair of them... it's like a freaking Baskin-Robbins from hell... 33 flavors and countless combinations thereof, YK? Until EVERY school has at least a handful of people available who actually, really-- no REALLY-- know that, then there
will be fatalities. Adding epi doesn't do a gosh darned thing for mitigating ignorance about when to use it.
Secondarily, all of this misses the point in some ways because it is inherently
reactive, rather than PROACTIVE. The only reason why most of us carry epinephrine is because
accidents happen. Yes, that is CRUCIAL, but it hardly eliminates the need to prevent reactions in the first place.
FAR too many people (particularly in schools) think of epinephrine as a "magical, make-it-all-fine" measure and therefore, see NO reason why it is still crucial to PREVENT anaphylaxis to begin with. Again, as long as that is true, kids are going to wind up as fatality statistics. This is the one that is SO difficult to convey to people who don't live with LTFA. Prevention is not optional, because every exposure is Russian Roulette. If you trigger anaphylaxis, then you're hoping that the local trauma team can deal with it, basically. Put that way, I think that few people WOULD choose to play Russian Roulette with a loved one.
"Oh-- it'll be fine. We have a GREAT trauma center... they'll fix it. No need to worry as long as you get them into surgery right away." , right?
I'm just sad when I see any advocacy piece that doesn't emphasize that point, because it is BY FAR the largest hurdle we face with others.