Tip of the Day: Leaving Babysitters with your Severely Allergic Child

How to handle hiring a babysitter for your child who has severe food allergies:

When you hire a babysitter you will need to make sure that the babysitter is mature enough to handle severe food allergies and would feel comfortable using an Epi Pen or administering Benadryl. This is especially true if you are looking to hire a teenager.
Many teens may say they would be able to handle your child's allergic reaction or would keep certain foods away from your allergic child or dial 911 in case of an emergency or use the Epi Pen if it was necessary, but they may not actually take it seriously or feel comfortable doing any of these things. It is up to you to judge the character of the babysitter and if the babysitter agrees to all of the things you need her to be able to do for your child the next step is to consult the parents of the babysitter. Make sure the parents of the babysitter do not object to any of the things you are asking their child to be able to do.
Ask your babysitter to practice using an Epi Pen with you. And make sure the babysitter has done it enough times until they know exactly what to do in case of an emergency. The pharmacy has practice Epi Pens.

Libby Avery