Dealing with Allergic Reactions

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Dealing with Allergic Reactions
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Allergic Reactions

• Allergic reactions may occur as a result of
• insect sting
• ingestion of a certain food/drink/medication
• exposure to something in the environment

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• A person may experience a mild allergic reaction
  or progress into life-threatening anaphylactic
  shock within a few minutes. Time is of the
  essence!

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• Normal reactions to bee stings include LOCALIZED
  pain, swelling, redness, itching, burning.

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• Symptoms of severe allergic reactions
  (anaphylaxis) due to any cause include
• Weakness
• Hives
• Swelling of eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• Nausea
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Unconsciousness

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• Hoarseness
• Sweating and anxiety
• Nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Dizziness or fainting
• Involuntary bowel or bladder emptying
• Sense of impending disaster or approaching death

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• Rapid or weak pulse
• Skin flushing or extreme paleness
• Blueness around lips, inside lips, or eyelids

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• For local reactions to bee stings when the
  student has no prior history of a bee sting
  allergy, examine the area to see if the stinger
  is still in the skin.
• If so, use a stiff piece of material (such as a
  credit card) to scrape it out.
• DO NOT attempt to pull the stinger out with your
  fingers or tweezers, because the squeezing action
  could inject more venom.
• Apply ice indirectly to the sting site.

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• Always familiarize yourself with any medical
  conditions of students in your classroom.
• Be aware of any emergency medication orders.

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• For systemic, anaphylactic allergic responses,
  the nurse (if in the building) or emergency
  responder should be notified immediately.
• The student may have a physicians order for
  Benadryl or Epinephrine injection (EpiPen or
  Epi-Pen Jr.).
• EMS and parent should be contacted.
• Administer CPR for absent breathing/pulse.
• Scrape stinger away apply ice indirectly.

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Steps for Using EpiPen

• Pull off gray safety cap.
• Place black tip on thigh, at right angle to leg.
• Press into thigh until Auto-Injector mechanism
  functions hold in place several seconds remove
  EpiPen (bend needle on hard surface put back in
  its container) massage injection site for 10
  seconds.
• Call 911 give used EpiPen to EMS.