Teen With Peanut Allergy Dies After Kiss

[Medira]

Everyone should know how to spot the signs of anaphalactic shock. Many sufferrers carry an epi-pen to give themselves a life-saving injection of adrenalin (epenepherine for you Americans). Knowing that, anyone can save a life by finding it and handing it to the victim quickly while others panic around them.

NEVER try to use it on them - you could do more harm than good!

The only time you should consider using an epi-pen on somebody in need is if they ask/signal for help or they're unconscious, which implies consent for assistance. Place the pen in their hand and jab it in their thigh at the point where their arm and upper body are still straight.

I also carry antihistamines in my purse, just in case. I have a slight animal allergy, but I've also had a couple of occasions where somebody ate something they shouldn't have and the antihistamine has helped.

 

[pygmalion]

I'm really annoyed that this wasn't covered in my fist aid courses. It's probably because I was given the four-hour, lay-person variety. But still. We covered choking and burns and all sorts of wounds, including near-amputations. I kid you not. Why not at least mention this?

 

[Medira]

I'm really annoyed that this wasn't covered in my fist aid courses. It's probably because I was given the four-hour, lay-person variety. But still. We covered choking and burns and all sorts of wounds, including near-amputations. I kid you not. Why not at least mention this?

I'm not sure... Back when I first learned about this stuff, probably about 10 years ago now, severe allergies didn't seem to be as common as they are today. I know that the Red Cross and Canadian Lifesaving Society both cover it in their courses, as does St. John Ambulance. I'm not sure about the American counterparts though.

 

[Ellis]

The only time you should consider using an epi-pen on somebody in need is if they ask/signal for help or they're unconscious, which implies consent for assistance. Place the pen in their hand and jab it in their thigh at the point where their arm and upper body are still straight.

I also carry antihistamines in my purse, just in case. I have a slight animal allergy, but I've also had a couple of occasions where somebody ate something they shouldn't have and the antihistamine has helped.

When I did first aid training, we were shown this using a dummy epi-pen. The instructor showed us how to prime it (which I will not go into here) and to place it in the casulaties' hand and use their thumb to press the button - not doing it that way could open you up to proscecution for assault!

When I was trained, giving any drug in the UK was classed as prescribing and illegal for the lay-man - the only thing a UK first-aider was permitted to administer is to sugar to a concious diabetic with hypoglycemia. AFAIK this is still the case.

As un-qualified persons we should all be very careful what advice we give here.

 

[Sagitta]

I'm glad I'm not food-intolerant.

me too.

 

[pygmalion]

I'm not sure... Back when I first learned about this stuff, probably about 10 years ago now, severe allergies didn't seem to be as common as they are today. I know that the Red Cross and Canadian Lifesaving Society both cover it in their courses, as does St. John Ambulance. I'm not sure about the American counterparts though.

Actually, I think I am remembering wrongly, here. I believe the first aid course for schmucks was eight hours -- two four-hour sessions. I seem to remember taking a review exam at the beginning of the second session. But this topic was definitely not covered. I have a feeling (although I could be wrong) that I'm more likely to encounter the need for an epi-pen than for a tourniquet. :lol:

Time for an update.

 

[cornutt]

I'm allergic to nuts -- tree nuts (like hazelnuts, almonds, pine nuts etc.) more than peanuts in my case.

Just out of curiousity, have you tried desensitization shots, and if so, what kind of results did you get?

 

[Medira]

When I did first aid training, we were shown this using a dummy epi-pen. The instructor showed us how to prime it (which I will not go into here) and to place it in the casulaties' hand and use their thumb to press the button - not doing it that way could open you up to proscecution for assault!

That's correct. It's the same here.

When I was trained, giving any drug in the UK was classed as prescribing and illegal for the lay-man - the only thing a UK first-aider was permitted to administer is to sugar to a concious diabetic with hypoglycemia. AFAIK this is still the case.

In Canada, you need consent from the person in question before administering any form of medication and, the only legal way to give them that drug is to place the medication in their hand and make them administer it to themself.

In the case of the antihistamines that I mentioned above, I had given the pills to the person who was having the allergy attack and she took them under her own power.

 

[lynn]

In Canada, you need consent from the person in question before administering any form of medication and, the only legal way to give them that drug is to place the medication in their hand and make them administer it to themself.

what if the person is unconscious or in epileptic shock? Do we hand them the medication and say "good luck" and move on?? That's just so wrong....

 

[Indiana_Jay]

what if the person is unconscious or in epileptic shock? Do we hand them the medication and say "good luck" and move on?? That's just so wrong....

In Indiana, an unconscious person is said to have given implied consent to treatment. I know that implied consent protects medical professionals, but I do not know if it protects untrained bystanders. I doubt, however, that an untrained bystander can expect much protection if s/he causes harm by taking an action (i.e. prescribing medicine or more extremely, making an incision) that would normally require a professional license. In any case, the decision is always an individual one of how much liability one is willing to risk in order to do what one believes is right.

 

[lynn]

I honestly think there should be something in place to protect the bystanders who are trying to help. If the result of being a good Samaritan is being sued then it really discourages people from helping those in need.

 

[Medira]

what if the person is unconscious or in epileptic shock? Do we hand them the medication and say "good luck" and move on?? That's just so wrong....

Unconsciousness is considered implied consent. If they're going through epileptic seizures, then you have to wait the seizure out (moving anything that could potentially cause harm out of the way, putting something soft and cushioned under their head, etc.) and see what their state is after that.

 

[Indiana_Jay]

I honestly think there should be something in place to protect the bystanders who are trying to help. If the result of being a good Samaritan is being sued then it really discourages people from helping those in need.

I agree. I also believe that such protection should be limited to what a reasonable untrained person would do. This is an admittedly extreme example, but makes my point about protection limits: If a patient who would have otherwise lived dies because a bystander without surgical training cuts someone open while trying to help, I don't think that bystander should be protected by Good Samaritan laws.

 

[kansas49er]

In the United States, bystanders are generally held from being liable if they perform such things as epipens if they follow what is called the "reasonable man" logic. THat logic being.... WHat would a reasonable man with the same amount of skill and training, do in the same situation?" WHile that is not a complete guide, it is one you can follow and feel fairly safe. It does cover such things as cpr, it probably would cover giving a patient an injection BY THEIR OWN epipen, not yours or somebody elses, it would probably cover putting on a tourniquet to stop bleeding, etc. By the way, the best way to use the victims epipen, is to wrap their own hands around it. This has been defined as only AIDING the patient with their own medication, rather than
GIVING them and injection.

 

[lynn]

O.K., I have a somewhat odd example here. A friend of mine has serious allergies. She carries with her medications and allergy shots. If she sees another person having a serious allergic reaction, should she go ahead and give that person her medication/shots provided if the person does not have any medication available.