The day we made him carry it he didn't use it and someone called 911. He doesn't go anywhere, doesn't watch TV and is they type of kid who wouldn't mind sitting there all day doing nothing and he wouldn't mind sitting there all weekend. When we forced him to carry it one time we tied it to his book bag with chains but he didn't use it and the school cannot supervise him 24/7. He said no he will not use it and we tried 7 months to carry his epipen and for the whole time he sat there and did nothing. He has severe, multiple food allergies. This prevented us from going on a family vacation which isn't fair to the other kids.
We've spoken to him about being dead and tried compromising and his reply is "i don't give a f*"
If he says he doesn't give a f** about being dead, then you take him to a counselor's office because it has become more than just not carrying his epi pen.
OK based on the riduculous assumption you have that a person with an allergy is supposed to use the epi-pen on him or herself to avoid a 911 call I have to assume that you're not serious. But if you are...please, please, please learn what the epi-pen is supposed to be for. An allergic person would be very unlikely to self-administer an epi-pen shot if needed. And even if it's used, of course the person then also needs to go to the ER. I have an adult friend who has had an epi pen for the 15 years I've known her and I've been with her three different times when it's needed to be used and I can assure you she's never given the shot herself, instead having anyone around who was willing do the job instead. And then she went to the ER.
Why would this prevent you from going on vacation? Why don't you just carry a pen and have one at the school nurse's office? Kids aren't allowed to carry them in school anyway so if he only goes to school and home, what's the problem?
...and he sounds like he's having some other issues. Perhaps a few sessions with a counselor will help you to understand him a bit more and give him someone to talk to. Not fearing and allergy and preferring to do nothing at all most of the time are red flags for depression.
If you're not a troll, here's your answer.
He is 14, you are his mother. YOU carry the epi-pen on family vacations and administer it. That's your job.
When he is at school, the school IS responsible for it - I believe that allergies and medications MUST be registered with the school nurse, and that THEY are responsible for administering medication.
If he is out with his friends, then YOU should talk to the parents of the friends, let them know about his allergies, so they can be prepared.
And get him therapy if he doesn't care about dying - teens often get depressed, and if he has life-threatening food allergies that make him feel like a freak, he's more liable to be depressed.
Is he in therapy? Sounds like he is having some depression problems along with it......
If he isn't in therapy, maybe he needs to be?
Is this a real question?
If so, why is he so insistent that he would not use the epi-pen? If his food allergies are as bad as you say and he needs the epi-pen, then why would he not want it if his throat was closing up? Is he depressed?
I smell another troll
I doubt that he can carry his epi-pen at school. The school requires that it be kept in the office or nurses room. The school does supervise him while he's there and staff have been trained when and how to use the epi-pen.
It makes no sense to me that you can't go on vacation because of his food allergies.
What happened at the hospital? I suggest that unless he lost consciousness before arriving at the hospital he didn't need to use his epi-pen.
I urge you to learn more about food allergies, reactions, and epi-pens.
I'm required to carry an epi-pen for myself, and I'm trained to use it, but in reality I might not be able to use it on myself. So I had to train my children to use it. I had to make sure that my coworkers knew how to use it. My husband was trained at work, and my eldest daughter was trained in health class recently.
What your son needs to do is carry it directly on himself, and if he'll wear a medical alert bracelet, put on it what his food allergies are as well as that he carries an epi-pen AND your emergency contact phone numbers. That way, people/emergency personnel will know to check his pockets or backpack for the epi-pen immediately.
For him to carry the epi-pen on him in school, he may need a doctor's note. Otherwise, medications typically are required by law to be kept in the nurse's office.
As for the emotional issues your son is having, a therapist might help. But I would also have family therapy. Communication between you and your son is failing, and your son needs to know that you're a safe place to express himself. There's more going on than his refusal to use or carry the epi-pen. He might be having issues with the huge burden of it all on top of other teen issues.
I'm not sure why the school nurse does not have one. My daughter has 2 & we keep 1 w/ us & the school has the other. The dr. prescribed a 2-pack for this reason & we have a dr. note for school.
Would you be able to go on vacation & leave him with a responsible family member or friend? Is he suicidal if he doesn't care if he dies? Maybe talk to his dr., he may need therapy. The person who said you don't need epi-pens for food allergies is obviously not very educated. I don't know what to say as to forcing him to use it.
