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Device Helps Napa County Schools Protect Against Deadly Reactions
Napa Valley Register, Tuesday, April 12, 2005
By PAT STANLEY
Register Staff Writer
He said the EpiPen program provides "potentially life saving intervention," but noted it must be used within 10 minutes of an allergic reaction.
Monteverdi said its use "outweighs by far any side effects." The most serious potential side effect is an irregular heart rhythm of a patient, particularly with an adult with heart disease.
Also, he said, caution must be taken by the person administering the medicine to avoid an accidental needle stick.
Drs. Monteverdi and Larry Posner volunteered to conduct school staff training and helped produce a training video on its use.
EpiPens are carried by many adults with known allergies. Such is the case with retired school administrator Virginia Rue, who helped convince Sacramento officials of the need for the law.
Rue said passage of the law involved support from local physicians, local legislative representatives, school nurses, the California and American medical associations, the American Academy of Pediatrics, health and school officials.
At the time, Rue was serving on the Napa Valley Unified School District's school health committee.
New school health protocols allowing the EpiPen were implemented at the start of the 2003-2004 school year.
Rue credited Napa Dr. J. C. Pickett for his help while serving as president of the California Medial Association, and said then-Assemblywoman Pat Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, "became our standard bearer."
Sen. Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata, was also instrumental, Rue said.
Wiggins, who sponsored legislation that enabled the EpiPens to be placed in California schools, said, "It's probably the only legislation I ever carried that saved a life."
It took two tries to get the measure passed then signed into law. At first, school nurses were concerned about putting the devices in the hands of lay people. On the second try, however, it "sailed through," Rue said.
The measure was signed into law by Gov. Gray Davis.
Anna Hie, a special education nurse with the office of Napa County Schools, said she hopes every children's center will eventually have at least one EpiPen and personnel trained in its use. "It's absolutely vital," she said.
Hie said the number of children with life-threatening allergies is not known. However, for unknown reasons, serious allergic reactions are believed to be on the increase.
Besides insect bites, many children have allergic reactions to nuts and nut products, shellfish, seed oils and milk.
She said grants are being written to fund the devices in more schools and child centers.
EpiPens are manufactured by Meridian Medical Technologies and marketed in the United States by Dey Labs of Napa.
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