Writing in the British Medical Journal this week, Professor Allan Colver, from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, argues that increasing diagnoses and prescriptions of adrenaline auto-injectors only inflame fears that are disproportionate to the risk. 'The chances of an under-16 dying of a food allergy are one in 16 million a year,' he said.
Dr Colver told Nursery World that in his view, adrenaline auto-injectors are over-prescribed. 'In practical terms it creates anxiety,' he said. 'In the case of a severe reaction, you take a child to hospital anyway - so is it worth distributing auto-injectors? Childcarers have enough to deal with, without having to learn how to administer an adrenaline shot.'
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