Reuters reports, “Children with a history of food-induced allergic reactions may need more than one shot of epinephrine to halt a severe reaction, a study has confirmed. Among a group of children treated for food-related ‘anaphylactic’ reactions over six years, 12% needed a second epinephrine dose, according to a report out today in the journal Pediatrics.”
“Parents of children with food allergies should be advised to carry two epi pens with them,” says Dr. Ross. “What is troubling is that the researchers found that fewer than half of children hospitalized with food-related allergic reactions left the hospital with a prescription for epi pens. That is really a major failing of our health care system, since one to two hundred children each year die of food-related allergies, most of which could be prevented.”