1. Act as quickly as possible at the first symptoms of a reaction.



2. Give your child a shot of epinephrine and a dose of liquid antihistamine as prescribed by your doctor.



3. Call 911.



4. Explain to the dispatcher that your child is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction to food. Quickly describe the symptoms. State that you already gave the child epinephrine and antihistamine, but that you may need more epinephrine as a backup.



5. Stay as calm as possible for your child’s sake. If your child has a special toy, doll, or stuffed animal, make sure it’s available for comfort.



6. If your state does not authorize emergency personnel to administer epinephrine, ride in the ambulance with your child with an extra dose in case one is needed en route.



7. Keep your child in the ER for several hours, as second-phase anaphylactic reactions may occur.

Excerpts reprinted from p. 41 of The Parent’s Guide to Food Allergies: Clear and Complete Advice from the Experts on Raising Your Food-Allergic Child by Marianne Barber, © 2001 by Marianne Barber. Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt & Co., LLC.