Imagine a child with a life-threatening food allergy. Now imagine that child having a severe reaction while at school.
If that student is fortunate enough to have an epinephrine autoinjector on school grounds, he or she may receive a dose to help reverse the reaction and potentially save a life.
But what about students with a food allergy who don’t have their injector with them? What about students who haven’t been diagnosed with an allergy, but experience their first life-threatening reaction while at school?
In such cases, it is currently illegal in our state’s schools for these children to receive epinephrine, even to save a life. The school’s only option is to call 9-1-1 and hope help arrives in time.
Fortunately, legislators in Olympia are considering a bill that would change this and save lives.