Why Shouldn’t I Divide my EpiPen Twin Pack?
When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening food allergy (or allergy to insect stings) their physician will prescribe injectable epinephrine to be used during a reaction. The epinephrine, which is sold under the brand names EpiPen® and Adrenaclick®, should come as a twin pack, with two separate injections “pens” in each box. It is best to keep the pens together at home, in your bag, or at your child’s school. This is because, in the case of a severe reaction requiring epinephrine, your child may require more than one dose of medication. Keeping those pens together can buy you time in a life-or-death situation.
When refilling expired medications, ask your doctor to order several refills so you can buy them as needed and keep the pens together. FoodAllergy.org is an informative website that includes information on access to allergy medication for families that might need financial help with their medications. It also includes an excellent Emergency Care Plan template in both Spanish and English that can be downloaded for free, filled out by your child’s physician, and kept at home and at school for reference during an emergency.
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