http://www.foodallergy.org/page/school-access-to-emergency-epinephrine-act1 (http://www.foodallergy.org/page/school-access-to-emergency-epinephrine-act1)
QuoteThe Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN™) is working on federal legislation that would encourage states to adopt laws requiring schools to have on hand "stock" epinephrine auto-injectors – meaning epinephrine that is not prescribed specifically to a single student but can be used for any student and staff member in an anaphylactic emergency.
On Nov. 17 this bill (S. 1884), the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). On Dec. 8, the bill (HR. 3627) was introduced in the House by Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN).
Please click lonk to read the entire document.
Good idea on the surface. For me, I would only feel comfortable with this ONLY IF my kid gets to carry his own epi's and that only his are used on him during a reaction. I know the condition and history of ours and I know that not everyone takes good care of theirs.
... still, I'd rather have an epi that has not been stored properly used than nothing, which is the alternative for many kids.
Kids with either unknown or undisclosed allergies are at very real risk for getting no medical intervention at all under current state laws in many locations in the US. :-[
Yes, I agree that this would be better than nothing. But I could see some schools not allow personal carrying of a person's own epi's because the school would want to mantain control of the epi's.
I can't help but think of a story that happened in our district YEARS ago. Before DS was diagnosed. The cheerleaders were hosting a workshop. Outside of school hours. There was a young girl that came to the coach just after a snack break and told her that throat was starting to hurt. Coach noted a slight puffiness around the eyes and a then a slight cough. She asked the child if she was allergic to anything and she said mom told her not to eat PN. They had just had ice-cream bars. The coach sent someone to call 911 and then called by radio for "DOC" the trainer who was on the football field with a football camp.
There was no epi-pen no action plan, nothing about an allergy mentioned on the health release form. No instructions of any kind. The reaction progressed at a really scary pass and even tough both DOC and the coach were trained in first aide their was not much they could do. Thankfully the ambulance arrived in time to transport and the hospital was able to stabilize and then air lift. She survived but as I've heard it things were touch n go for a while.
The mother said later that when the child was three she had complained of itching lips and had some red splotches around her lips after eating an apple slice with peanut butter. She took her to the family Dr who was an older gentlemen. He told them to not let her eat peanut products for a few years and left it at that. No testing no referral to an allergist no epi-pen. The mother thought that since the DR wasn't that concerned it must not be a big deal. She taught her dd not to eat PN and moved on. Until a few years later they nearly lost her.
--------------
yes I do want those at schools to have access to nonspecific epi-pens. I want them not only in the Nurses office but in the emergency first aide packs that teachers and coaches carry to extra curricular events.
Related online petition that may be of interest to some here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/save-allergic-childrens-lives-in-schools (http://www.change.org/petitions/save-allergic-childrens-lives-in-schools)
Ok, so I checked with our school nurse today to see if she was ever given non-designated epi pens...(I live in IL so the Emergency Epinephrine Act as already passed) so here's the problem she said a doctor has to prescribe them to the school. Our school district does not have a physician on staff so how are we to ever get these?
I wish they would write this stuff in plan english...here's where it says "doctor may prescribe"...
(f) The school district or nonpublic school may maintain at
5 a school in a locked, secure location a supply of epinephrine
6 auto-injectors. A physician may prescribe epinephrine
7 auto-injectors in the name of the school district or nonpublic
8 school to be maintained for use when necessary. The school
9 district or nonpublic school supply of epinephrine
10 auto-injectors may be provided to and utilized by any student
11 authorized to self-administer that meets the prescription on
12 file or by any personnel authorized under a student's
13 Individual Health Care Action Plan, Illinois Food Allergy
14 Emergency Action Plan and Treatment Authorization Form, or plan
15 pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of
16 1973 to administer an epinephrine auto-injector to the student,
17 that meets the prescription on file. When a student does not
18 have an epinephrine auto-injector or a prescription for an
19 epinephrine auto-injector on file, the school nurse may utilize
20 the school district or nonpublic school supply of epinephrine
21 auto-injectors to respond to anaphylactic reaction, under a
22 standing protocol from a physician licensed to practice
23 medicine in all its branches and the requirements of this
24 Section.
25 (Source: P.A. 96-1460, eff. 8-20-10.)
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=84&GA=97&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=3294&GAID=11&LegID=60664&SpecSess=&Session= (http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=84&GA=97&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=3294&GAID=11&LegID=60664&SpecSess=&Session=)
I have a few calls into places to see I can find out more, but anyone have any great ideas?
Hez -- would YOUR doctor be willing to write the prescription?
This seems crazy.
Hezzier,
What about a doctor at the local board of health?
Hezzier - Does your school have a medical treatment plan or standing orders for emergencies/medical problems? All of the camps that I have worked at had one, which we had reviewed annually by a local doctor. The same doctor prescribed necessary emergency medication that we kept on hand - epi-pens, epinephrine vials, insulin, etc. So while we didn't have a doctor on staff, we still had a relationship with a local doctor.
Well, I made a few calls and yes, a doctor (any doctor) does have to prescribe the epi pens to the school district/or school. It is a completely voluntary program so it is up to the district if they are willing or have the funds to pay for the epi pens. I currently have a call into our superintendant (I don't expect to actually here back from him) to see if the district will be willing to cover the price (we have 7 schools). If they are not willing then there is no reason to find a doctor who will do it for the whole district. I have a friend that has a peanut allergy, her kids go to our school and her DH is a physician so I have no doubt that I can get them to do it for at least our school and then I'm pretty sure I can get the PTO to fork over the $100. If not, then one of DS's former preschool teacher's husband is a doctor and he might be willing.
Can you see my next problem of convincing the pharmacy to actually fill the prescription?
Quote5 a school in a locked, secure location a supply of epinephrine
6 auto-injectors.
<gulp>
yeah, forgive me if I'm a bit underwhelmed by that verbiage, as well, SL...
:banghead:
Moi aussi . . .
LOCKED is inane.
Based on what you see, do you think the national one will be any better? The same IL senators are involved.
Our district has a local physician write standing orders for epis that are purchased. The nurse gets a twin pack of jrs and regular. The district has to pay the doctor some fee for this service but I don't think it is that much.
I had the same problem here in CA. We also have a law allowing schools to keep undesignated epis. But our school district didn't have anyone to prescribe them, any money to pay for them, or any school nurses to diagnose anaphylaxis and administer epi.
Cross-posting from peanut allergy fatality thread:
Having read the proposed law, I don't think it will change anything except to underscore the inequities in our educational system. Schools have to compete for grants for lifesaving medications!? Guess which schools will receive the money: that's right--the ones who need it least. Should we offer grants for schools to install fire extinguishers?
This is more political posturing to make the public feel like something is being done about the problem. Now we can all pat ourselves on the back that kids will have access to epinephrine and if they didn't... well, it's the school's fault for not applying for a grant. Right?
Has anybody seen benefits from the Food Allergy Management Act? You know, the one that encourages schools to voluntarily adopt good food allergy management policies?
Oh, you mean, have any schools voluntarily begun hiring nurses and keeping epinephrine injectors unlocked? Keeping party foods out of classrooms?
That kind of thing?
Not so you'd notice, at least locally. Y'all are shocked, I can tell. :-/
The thing about the grants is a cop-out. ANY school can find $100-200 for Epipens. In our state, lower income schools actually get WAY more funding (double that of high SES districts).
The law will make a difference. But there is a moral obligation too, and schools must be prepared given the high incidence of life threatening food/insect allergies and quick nature of life threatening reactions requiring immediate access to epinephrine.
Quote from: rainbow on January 16, 2012, 11:05:09 AM
ANY school can find $100-200 for Epipens.
Only if they
want to and someone is pushing for it, whether it's a parent or the school nurse, etc.
Quote from: Momcat on January 13, 2012, 09:55:37 PM
Having read the proposed law, I don't think it will change anything except to underscore the inequities in our educational system. Schools have to compete for grants for lifesaving medications!?
Not exactly. It's more the case that the fed gov't will reward states whose schools do comply. (These states would be granted preference for asthma-related grants administered by the Department of Health and Human Services). FAAN didn't link to the full text of the bill, so here it is: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-1884/ (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-1884) The bill goes into great detail over self-administration. But it cannot trump state law. Some states may already forbid self-carry of meds. Those states can either change their own law on self-carry/self-administration, or by virtue of their state law -- necessarily exclude their schools from preferential treatment from HHS (thus removing any incentive for schools within the state to comply with S. 1884: School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act).
Quote from: hezzier on January 16, 2012, 11:45:17 AM
Quote from: rainbow on January 16, 2012, 11:05:09 AM
ANY school can find $100-200 for Epipens.
Only if they want to and someone is pushing for it, whether it's a parent or the school nurse, etc.
Well, they will want to a bit more given the potential liability issue once the act is passed. However, if not pushed, they may just wait, using a low-priority 'it won't happen here' attitude...but then they are much more likely to get sued if there is a death in their district.