Macaroni and Peas

Does your kid have a food allergy? How about an allergy to medication, bees, or latex? If so, it might not hurt to create an allergy kit. Basically, an allergy kit tells your kid’s caregivers (daycare provider, teacher, camp counselors, etc.) what they need to know to help care for your kid. It’s easier than you’d think.

Supplies

• smallish bag
• epi pen
• antihistamine
• index cards
• a pen

1. Pick a bag that’s small enough for your kid to carry around and just big enough to hold everything. The bag should close securely (zipper, drawstring, etc.).
2. Write your name and all the ways someone can contact you on a card. This should include your home phone, work phone, cell phone, and email.
3. Create a similar contact card for anyone else who can care for your child if you’re unavailable. These are usually spouses, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
4. Create a similar contact card for your child’s doctor and another for any other doctors you see for allergies. Include the hospital you would prefer to use if necessary.
5. Write your child’s name and address on a card. Add a description that includes current height, weight, hair and eye color, and any distinguishing characteristics (being cute as a button does not count, no matter how true it is).
6. Write down each allergy on its own card. Note how your child reacts to each allergy. Some kids just get a rash while others go into anaphylactic shock. It’s important to know the difference.
7. Write instructions down on how to use the epi-pen if necessary. If you’ve got the instructions that came with the pen, put them in the bag. If possible, include the dummy pen so you can show people how to use it.
8. Write down the proper dosage for the antihistamine you’re putting in the bag.
9. Put everything together in the bag.

Viola - you’ve got an allergy kit.

Tips and Tricks

For example, your kid is allergic to peanuts and penicillin. Eating with peanuts puts him into anaphylactic shock. Touching them or their residue gives him a rash and causes swelling. Penicillin gives him hives.

One card would say “Peanuts - eating causes anaphylactic shock (administer epi-pen and call me ASAP), touching causes rash and swelling (give antihistamine and call me).” The other card would say “Penicillin - hives (give antihistamine and call me).”

Try to keep the text on the cards neat and brief. Think bullet points - the people who’ll be using this kit won’t have time to read through paragraphs. They need simple, clear instructions.

If you can, laminate the cards. They’ll stay clear and easy to read over a much longer period of time.

Speaking of time…you’ll want to update the card describing your kid as things change (for example, right now, my son has a mohawk…three months ago, it was a blue mohawk - that’s a pretty big change). You may even want to include a fairly recent picture.

Consider making multiple kits. Keep one with your kid at all times. You might want to give one to your child’s daycare provider, teacher, summer camp staff, etc. The more severe your child’s allergic reaction, the more people need to have a kit and know how to use it.

Make sure your kid knows how to use the epi-pen if they need it. The allergy kit does not in any way replace the epi-pen that needs to be on your child’s person at all times.

What else might you want to include in an allergy kit?

For more information on protecting your child at school, check out Ria’s posts on Section 504 plans.