Allergic Reactions Are Scary...
Jasper's Story
Allergic reactions are scary. Jasper had an anaphylaxis episode when he was only 14 months and meant to be napping. He wouldn't go to sleep and wouldn't settle. He was red and blotchy and I knew right away it was an allergic reaction.
After rushing to the hospital for immediate treatment and knowing our son was safe, our education began. After skin prick testing, we found out Jasper was allergic to eggs, sesame, coconut, pistachios and cashews. His eczema cleared up within weeks of removing these foods from his diet and I became an expert out of necessity. Always asking for a list of ingredients became the norm whenever we left the house. Once he was old enough, Jasper was taught to inquire for himself and never get complacent. We educated anyone who would listen and were sure to talk about any areas of concern with all our friends and family.
It led us to design an insulated epipen case that was simple and easy to use FAST in an emergency (there's a kids version too). We even extended this to our Kid's Version as an alternative to our original grey bag. There's a plastic window on the outside of the bag with a picture of him, his name and listed allergies so if anyone needs to assist him they can match the case to him right away. There's space inside for his epipen, anti-histamines and a copy of his action plan without any bells and whistles. We wanted a simple case that was effective to do the job required and that's what we produced.
We always wanted to ensure our son could do anything he wanted to do knowing there was always a safety net in place if needed. Even today as a teenager, he carries his case clipped to his backpack and has learned to take responsibility for what he eats and how he lives managing his allergies with ease and maturity. We can all relax knowing that he has his anaphylaxis under control while enjoying all the amazing things life has to offer.