Food allergies impact millions of children, and these children are at risk of life-threatening reactions should they accidentally ingest their allergen.

Many young children with food allergies attend early childcare centers. Some of these children may have their first allergic reaction at their childcare center, especially those children who were not previously known to have a food allergy.

Epinephrine is the medication that stops a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Administered promptly, epinephrine saves lives. Epinephrine is available in auto-injectors for easy use, and epinephrine is incredibly safe when administered from an auto-injector.

Most states have laws permitting K-12 schools to stock undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors to be used by trained individuals in case a student has a severe allergic reaction but does not have his/her own epinephrine auto-injector. Unfortunately, some states do not have laws protecting early childcare centers in stocking epinephrine.

Connecticut is one state that has public access epinephrine law 19-19, meaning entities such as businesses can stock epinephrine if the entity has at least one person trained on how to use the device. Unfortunately, Connecticut is PROHIBITING early childcare centers in Connecticut from being able to have stock epinephrine even if the center has employees who would receive training as per the state’s public access law.

If you believe that Connecticut early learning centers should be PERMITTED to stock epinephrine per 19-19 as opposed the state currently PROHIBITING centers from stocking epinephrine, please sign this petition.