Abstract: . . .  Eczema Hives and swelling Vomiting Abdominal cramps Diarrhoea Wheezing Difficulty breathing Drop in blood pressure Loss of consciousness Death. Treatment of food allergy and severe allergy reactions “Prevention is the best medicine.” Strict avoidance of the allergy-causing food is the only way to avoid a re- action. Epinephrine, also called “adrenaline” is the medication of choice for controlling a severe allergic reaction. It is available as an auto-injector by prescription known as EpiPen ® , Epi-Pen ® Jr and Twinjet. How to Use an EpiPen ® or EpiPen ® Jr Be sure to learn the proper procedure of using an EpiPen ® – you may save yourself or another person’s life. Prevention and Management of Life-threatening Food Allergies by Jason Kwok Page 2 1. Remove yellow/green cap from carrying case. 2. Grasp unit with black tip pointing downwards. Pull off the gray safety cap. 3. Place black tip on out- er thigh ( always ap- ply to thigh ). 4.Using a swing and jab motion, press hard into thigh until Auto-Injec- tor mechanism func- tions — it clicks. Hold in place and count to 10. The EpiPen ® unit should then be re- moved and kept with the victim. Massage the injection area for 10 seconds. 5. Most of the liquid (about 90%) stays in the auto-injector and cannot be reused. 6. To make sure one has received the epinephrine, check: (a) the black tip – if needle is exposed and (b) the clear window – if the red plunger is seen, then one received the medication. If not, repeat procedures 3 & . . .
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