Knowing the signs of an allergic reaction is key when caring for a child with an allergy. This video teaches you the symptoms and warning signs.
Knowing when to use the epinephrine injection device is very important at backstop we want you to feel confident in giving this life-saving medication if and when the time comes in this video we’ll talk about signs of an allergic reaction and when to use your device there are a few different scenarios in which you may need to use this device the first is if
You have come into contact with a substance that has caused an allergic reaction in the past if this happens use the device right away the second scenario in which you’ll want to use the device is if you notice signs of an allergic reaction these signs may include having a hard time breathing swelling or tightness of the face or mouth or difficulty swallowing
More severe symptoms of an allergic reaction to watch for are shortness of breath wheezing a cough that won’t go away paler bluish skin feeling faint or dizzy tingling or noticeable swelling of the face tongue or lips hives or redness on the body repetitive throwing up or bad diarrhea feeling something bad is about to happen anxiety or confusion if any of these
Symptoms are present use the device immediately do not hesitate if you’re thinking you should give epi give uppy the side effects are worth saving a life but what should you do if there’s only mild symptoms these symptoms could be an itchy or runny nose or sneezing an itchy mouth a few hives or slightly itchy skin mild nausea or discomfort these mild symptoms
Are all early warning signs of an allergic reaction and can progress quickly into more severe symptoms if more than one of these symptoms is present use the device right away but if you only have one of these mild symptoms you can give an antihistamine if recommended by your healthcare professional be sure to watch closely for new symptoms if the symptoms get
Any worse or different parts of the body become involved use the device right away with babies and young children it can be hard to know when they have an allergic reaction some things to watch for in babies are scratching their tongue repeatedly which may be a sign of itchiness or swelling in their mouth or throat sticking their tongues out or moving their mouth
Around a lot unusual screaming and crying that you can’t seem to stop fidgeting or extreme restlessness and uneasiness or other signs of discomfort and pain if you notice any of these signs use the device immediately the patient should feel better within minutes however if their symptoms have not improved or if they get worse after five minutes of their first
Dose use another epinephrine injection device on them this is why it’s important to carry two devices with you at all times if you do use a second dose we recommend injecting it into the opposite leg because the first one may be slightly bruised deaths from allergic reactions are rare but the risks are real in most cases deaths from allergic reactions are caused
By a delay in treatment with epinephrine this is why it’s so important to know the signs of anaphylaxis and not be scared to use your device right away so let’s review what we’ve learned use the epinephrine injection device if you come into contact with something that has caused an allergic reaction in the past watch for signs of a bad allergic reaction give
The device if you have symptoms involving different parts of the body deaths from allergic reactions are rare but can happen if epinephrine isn’t given quickly enough
Transcribed from video
When do I use an epinephrine injection device? (auto-injector) By Backstop – Food Allergies Simplified