SAN ANTONIO – Seconds matter when it comes to severe food allergies. To help patients, a local lawmaker is proposing a state law that would put a lifesaving tool in the hands of day care workers and law enforcement officers.
While the proposed bills could save lives, not everyone is on board.
“I want everyone to know (my daughter) has a food allergy because that's the only way to keep her safe,” parent Darcy Moore said.
When Moore discovered her daughter, Lexington, had food allergies, she quickly read up on the issue and became an advocate.
“I try to have everyone who spends time with Lexy practice this before. It gives you the steps right here,” Moore said while demonstrating how to use an epinephrine auto-injector, which is a lifeline in case of an anaphylaxis episode.
“Guns are not permitted in schools because they kill. Yet, peanuts and tree nuts are in every class, and the anaphylaxis will kill my child. That anxiety is very real,” Moore said.
To ease some anxiety, state Sen. Jose Menendez has introduced two bills.
They would allow trained law enforcement officers and day care workers to carry and administer epinephrine auto-injectors.
“To be able to know these bills are going to put epinephrine in these people's hands to make the parents feel safer, it’s priceless,” Moore said.
Senate Bill 1735 and Senate Bill 1827 would protect police and day care workers from liability.
“If you have a history of anaphylaxis, then it’s almost never wrong to give (epinephrine). If you're having an allergic reaction, even if it’s just simple hives, it’s not going to hurt you,” said Dr. Edward Brooks, allergy specialist for University Hospital and a professor at UT Health San Antonio.
One in 13 children suffer from a food allergy. Doctors say in some cases for people with cardiac disease, an epinephrine shot could worsen their condition.
“If they have minimal training, what appears to be an allergic reaction, the side effects of epinephrine in healthy children or adults are very minimal,” Brooks said.
Still, some police and medical experts have hesitations about the bills.
“The epinephrine in the day cares is going to raise the anxiety levels of the workers,” Brooks said.
The bills would require law enforcement officers and day care workers to undergo training in order to administer epinephrine auto-injectors.
On Tuesday, the House passed a similar bill for day care workers. It now moves to the Senate.