Further Reflections on Anaphylaxis

This past week has been a blur; a swirl of emotions and learnings. On Sunday, Colten (my older son) had an anaphylactic reaction (he's fine now- read previous blog post) and I've been so grateful for the support of family, friends and even friends-of-friends in the wake of the incident.

The biggest thing I've come to realize on a very personal level is 1) I'm so glad for all our preparation and 2) there is a difference between theoretical preparation and practice and in-the-moment, crisis management. I know this well in my professional life, but it's different when it's your child... a piece of your heart.

So I'm driven to extract as much learning as I can from the situation. I'm currently reading Adam Grant's "Originals" and really identify with the "defensive pessimism" he illuminates- deliberately utilizing/thinking about an emergency scenario in order to consider the worst case possibilities, drilling into all aspects in order to avoid disaster.

Here's what has emerged in sharing my story with friends and family- additional ideas and reflections:

1. "Find My IPhone" is Your Friend

We had this function enabled on Colten's phone, but didn't think to use it to locate him. What a stress-reducer that would have been as my husband combed the Golden Gate Bridge for our child in an emergency. And in general, a good thing to remember as he gains independence in his teen years.

2.  Never Too Soon for the Epi-Pen

I'm not a medical professional, and I'm not giving medical advice- I'm sharing what I have learned. The doctor in our emergency room clearly reinforced for us to use the epi-pen at the first signs of anaphylaxis, (even if you're wondering if this is the right time). Not to wait for additional signs. The last thing I want is to wish I had used it or used it earlier. The side effects of epinephrine are preferable to the alternative.

3. More Diligence Around Ingredients

Colten asked if the cookie had nuts, and the adult with him called the friend she bought them from, whose daughter was the baker. The answer was "no, no nuts" however the cookies had been mislabeled. It's making us rethink our family "rules" regarding ingredient questions; what kind of labels we trust, and/or how we communicate the repercussions of our allergy ingredient questions to those who are less familiar with food allergies.

4. Find a Teen Food Allergy Support Group

We've talked with Colten a lot about his allergies. However it seems more obvious to me now that he needs to talk with peers who have experienced this, and who understand from a first-hand perspective. We'll be looking into this in the coming month to see if something exists near us.

Here's to sharing learnings... onward, Allergy friends!