I do! Elizabeth Goldenberg, founder of Onespot Allergy and her business partner, allergist Dr. Mark Greenwald have just changed up the food allergy and anaphylaxis management game for the better. Enter their ground breaking EpiPen Training website and the First Aid for Anaphylaxis: An Allergic Emergency training program. This is the first time I have ever experienced an in-depth training video specifically geared at responding to an anaphylactic allergic reaction in addition to education regarding anaphylaxis. I have watched many videos on how to administer an epinephrine auto-injector, but I have never participated in a program where I was challenged during the presentation to identify elements of anaphylaxis, take tests, and then review real life situations. Elizabeth allowed me to take the course for free-which I appreciated (note: I was not paid to say kind or unkind things, Elizabeth just provided me the opportunity to check out the program). Not only did I want to review the course, but I was painfully curious about this project since she teased on her Onespot Allergy Website. As always, please check in with your physician regarding treatment and emergency response to your own food allergy or anaphylactic medical condition.
I whole heartedly believe this program will save lives. You know I’m very opinionated and what boosts my belief is that I understand that our brains need to experience an element to become familiar with it. By simply watching the actors in this training program, I was able to visualize how I would response to an emergency. In my mind, I’ve reviewed this a million times in regards to my own children, but never to this level of detail or follow through and support. I learned two very valuable points that I have overlooked: check the window of the EpiPen® Auto-Injector to ensure the medication was delivered and to share with care givers that my children might have trouble describing symptoms! These two nuggets of information were worth the price of $39.95 Canadian!
photo courtesy of EpiPen.com
The high quality use of color, graphics and valid information made this program engaging and interesting. The message was very simple: don’t hesitate (I don’t want to give away details, but the graphic on this topic still lingers in my mind), know to recognize an allergic emergency, how to administer an Epi Pen® Auto-injector and what to do after injection. Steps to take post injection an area that slipped right past my radar. I found this concept to be quite enlightening. The video was broken down into very reasonable modules that could be completed within minutes. Therefore, a participant could engage in this online training over a period of time. You can’t cheat and skip ahead either! I tried to see if an employee could jump forward during a training module–couldn’t do it.
image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos. net
I don’t want to give away too much information, since I personally like to test things without having any preconceived notions, but if you have staff, family, friends, coaches or care givers who many be in the position to help administer epinephrine to you or a loved one, then I would suggest visiting EpiPenTraining website to see if this online program will meet your needs. I could see how this program, which took me around one hour to complete, would be very valuable for my children’s coaches! I struggle with trying to grab the after school coach to sit down and participate in a training session. Offering an easy online training program and then following up with a conversation sounds like a successful approach to me!
photo courtesy of mack2happy at Freedigitalphotos.net
I think the only drawback is that there is not a training program for the new Auvi-Q® that has hit the market place…yet. Selena of Amazing and Atopic also reviewed this training program, so if you have a moment, check out her view points in, “First Aid for Anaphylaxis Training-Epi Center Medical”. I am a firm believer in sharing what others are seeing and saying and I truly enjoy Amazing and Atopic’s blog site too!
image courtesy of xedos4 at Freedigitalphotos.net
Congratulations to Elizabeth Goldenberg and Dr. Mark Greenwald of EpiPenTraining for stepping up to the plate and out of their own passion and commitment to patients battling food allergies and anaphylaxis to create the world’s first online First Aid Training for an Anaphylactic Emergency!
p.s. I just need to add in that not only is this the first of it’s kind, but the quality and ease of understanding was absolutely top quality.
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One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Awesome! Passing the word along! I am thrilled that this resource is out there!
I think many businesses will benefit from this type of education too!
Caroline, thank you so much for referencing my post and for, oh, just being all-around awesome! (((HUGS)))
I really enjoy your blog Selena! Okay, and your personality too!!!
Thank you for letting us know about this.
There is a demo video on the site too! I believe this program will also be important for adults with allergies as a way to educate others in the sphere (work, social, family). There are not many adult related educational videos out there.
Hi Caroline! Thank you so much for accepting my invitation to view the course and for writing such a detailed review. Dr. Mark and I are thrilled that you see its value.
I truly believe your program represents a shift in our awareness of anaphylaxis and will provide the bridge from the unknown that might be laced with fear to the known and empowered. It’s just what our anaphylaxis community needed.
Thank you! You summed up our intentions perfectly.