1. Juliet Larsen was only 15 months old
when she took one bite of peanut but-
ter. In less than two minutes, her heart
stopped beating.
“We took her to the
hospital,” Louise Lar-
sen, her mother, said
about that day in 1997.
“We almost lost our
daughter.”
Louise Larsen has
been one of the most
vocal advocates on
social media and
through her blog, parentsofkidswith
aseverepeanutallergy.blogspot.com, to
make EpiPens mandatory in public
schools. The devices are essentially
auto-injectors that use epinephrine to
quickly treat anaphylaxis, a severe,
whole-body allergic reaction to al-
lergens such as food, drugs or insect
bites that cause the throat and airways
to swell and become blocked.
A law requiring public schools to
stock epinephrine auto-injectors and
train personnel to administer them to
students will go into effect Jan. 1. Ac-
cording to the U.S. Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention, 3 million
children under age 18, or four of every
100 children in the United States, had
food allergies of some type in 2007. In
the decade ending in 2007, the preva-
lence of food allergies in that age
group had increased by about 18 per-
cent.
Juliet Larsen, now 18, is a senior at
Los Alamitos High School and a run-
way model. But her mother says other
children who’ve suffered the type of
severe reaction her daughter expe-
rienced nearly 17 years ago have not
been as fortunate.
“This law mandating EpiPens in
schools has been a long time coming,”
said Louise Larsen, who in 2007 start-
ed the Facebook group Parents of Kids
with a Severe Peanut Allergy, which
has 7,452 members and even more
followers.
Under current state law, schools
may stock and administer epinephrine.
But it is optional, and many districts
choose not to participate due to the
cost. Since epinephrine is a prescrip-
tion drug, parents of children with
known food allergies can designate the
medication for their child in the school
nurse’s office, should an emergency
situation arise.
However, Larsen says, she knows of
many parents who don’t.
“They refuse to get an EpiPen be-
cause they mentally don’t want to go
there,” she said. “They come up with
the excuse that their child has not
experienced severe reactions so far.
But, the thing is, allergic reactions are
fickle and they are unpredictable. You
never know when they are going to
show up. That’s what makes EpiPens
lifesavers.”
Orange County schools are gearing
up to stock the EpiPens to meet the
new law’s requirements, said Pamela
Kahn, health and wellness coordinator
for the Orange County Department of
Education. Based on self-reporting by
schools in the school year 2013-2014,
4,758 prescriptions were written for
children with known anaphylactic
issues. That’s out of 500,000 pupils.
“We understand that just because
children don’t have prescriptions, it
doesn’t mean they are not allergic,”
she said.
Under current law, schools cannot
use EpiPens designated for other chil-
JEBB HARRIS,
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
JOSHUA SUDOCK, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Garden Grove Unified School District nurse administrator Riva Apodaca, right, goes over use of an EpiPen emergency epi-
nephrine injector with Pacifica High’s Debbie Campbell. The injector is used when a student has a severe allergic reaction.
AFISTFULOF
LIFESAVING
HOW IT WORKS
An EpiPen uses a needle and has the
appropriate amount of epinephrine for a
certain body weight. When a person has a
severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis, the
epinephrine is injected into the thigh. The
drug works by raising blood pressure and
tightening blood vessels. It also eases
breathing by helping the lung muscles relax
and reduces swelling in the throat and face.
The patient’s heart rate also increases as
the blood pressure rises, delivering the
drug to the whole body more quickly. Once
the symptoms ease, patients must still go
to an emergency room for continued
treatment, and evaluation in case
a secondary reaction occurs once the
EpiPen injection wears off.
TO MEET A NEW LAW, ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS STOCK UP ON
INJECTORS TO HEAD OFF POTENTIALLY FATAL ALLERGIC REACTIONS.
SEE ALLERGIES ● PAGE 2
DEEPA
BHARATH
STAFF
WRITER
‘‘This is not a drug that can be
administered willy-nilly.
Credentialed school nurses
will do the training and it will
be done on an annual basis.”
P A M E L A K A H N
H E A L T H A N D W E L L N E S S
C O O R D I N A T O R F O R T H E
O R A N G E C O U N T Y
D E P A R T M E N T O F E D U C A T I O N
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17, 2014
1
LIFE HEALTH
1
Right on schedule, there’s
another whooping cough epidemic
in Orange County.
But after peaking in the summer
and fall, it has begun to ebb as pub-
lic health officials question wheth-
er a new vaccine is needed.
Whooping cough, also known as
pertussis, has sickened 380 people
in the county this year – the high-
est number since the last epidemic
in 2010, when there were 467 cases,
according to the county Health
Care Agency. Eighty-one of this
year’s cases were children youn-
ger than 1.
Orange County has fared better
than the rest of the state, which is
in the grip of the worst outbreak in
seven decades.
The bacterial infection tends to
flare up every three to five years,
so it’s no surprise this year’s num-
bers are high, said Dr. Matt Zahn,
the Health Care Agency’s director
of epidemiology.
The overall incidence of pertus-
sis has increased since the 1990s,
when the latest vaccine was intro-
duced. Research has shown it
doesn’t last as long as the one it re-
placed, and a new study suggests
the vaccine may not prevent the
spread of the disease.
Nearly 10,000 cases were re-
ported to the California Depart-
ment of Public Health from Jan. 1
to Nov. 26. The hardest-hit areas
are in Northern California and San
Diego County with 1,819 cases.
Whooping cough inflicts cold-
like symptoms and an uncontrolla-
ble, violent coughing that can last
several weeks. People often take
deep breaths which result in a
“whooping” sound. The disease is
spread by coughing or sneezing
while in close contact with others.
Doctors emphasize that the in-
State battles another whooping cough epidemic
JAE C. HONG, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A patient in Tustin receives a whooping cough vaccination recent-
ly. California has recorded nearly 10,000 cases this year.
BY JENNA CHANDLER
STAFF WRITER
SEE COUGH ● PAGE 2

2. Life 2 Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014 Register
1
LIFE | HEALTH
HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (XD-HFR3D)
(PG-13)1200 330 700 1030
HOBBIT THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (XD-3D)
(PG-13) 1200 330 700 1030
EXODUS GODS AND KINGS (3D) (PG-13) 1005 1140 130
300 450 620 810 940 1130
HOBBIT THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (3D) (PG-13) 925
1030 1115 120 200 245 455 535 615 820 900 1105 1140
BIG HERO 6 (PG) 930 1205 240 515 750 1030
DUMB AND DUMBER TO (PG-13) 1130 215 500 745 1035
EXODUS GODS AND KINGS (PG-13) 925 1245 405
725 1050
FOXCATCHER (R) 950 1250 355 705 1010
FURY (R) 1230 345 1015
HOBBIT THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (PG-13)
1000 1245 410 740 945
HOMESMAN, THE (R) 1100 505 755 1045
HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 (R) 1125 210 445 735 1020
HUNGER GAMES THE MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 (PG-13)
1045 140 435 730 1025
INTERSTELLAR (PG-13) 1145 325 705 1005
MET OPERA DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG
ENCORE (2014) (NR) 630
NIGHTCRAWLER (R) 1120 230 520 805 1050
PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR, THE (PG) 935 1155 220
445 720 950
THEORY OF EVERYTHING, THE (PG-13) 1015 1135 115
255 415 715 1045
WHITE CHRISTMAS 60TH ANNIVERSARY (1954) 200 700
EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS (3D) (PG-13)1105 1215 235
345 600 715 1045
HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (HFR3D)
(PG-13) 9:15AM 1035 1115 125 205 245 455 535 615 825
905 1110 1150
MET OPERA: DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG
ENCORE (2014)(NR) 6:30PM
WHITE CHRISTMAS 60TH ANNIVERSARY (1954)
(UNKNOWN) 200 700
BIG HERO 6 (PG) 1110 155 440 730 1025
BIRDMAN (R)1105 200 455 750 1045
DUMB AND DUMBER TO (PG-13)1130 220 510 755 1045
EQUALIZER, THE (R) 9:30AM 12:40PM
EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS (PG-13) 9:55AM 125 455 825 935
FURY (R) 9:35AM 1250 400 710 1020
HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (PG-13)1000
1240 410 740 945
HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 (R)1125 210 505 755 1040
HUNGER GAMES: THE MOCKINGJAY, PART 1(PG-13)1010
110 410 710 1010
INTERSTELLAR (PG-13)1100 250 640 1025
LINGAA (TAMIL) (NR)1150 325 700 1040
LINGAA (TELUGU) (NR) 135 515 855
NIGHTCRAWLER (R)1015 115 415 715 1015
PAST TENSE (NR) 1110 200 450 745 1035
PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR, THE (PG) 9:15AM 1145 215
445 720 950
PYRAMID, THE (R)10:05AM 10:30PM
ST. VINCENT (PG-13) 9:20AM 1155 240 520 800 1040
THEORY OF EVERYTHING, THE (PG-13)10:10AM 110 410
710 1010
TOP FIVE (R)1135 215 500 740 1020
Featuring New High-Back Love Seats
EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS C Mon & Tue: (12:45,
3:00, 4:00), 7:15, 9:30, 10:30
EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS 3D C Mon & Tue:
(11:45), 6:15
HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 E Mon & Tue: (2:20, 5:00), 7:40,
10:25
PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR B Mon & Tue: (2:05,
4:25), 6:50, 9:25
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1 C
Mon & Tue: (12:30, 1:30, 3:30, 4:30), 6:30, 7:30, 9:30, 10:30
DUMB AND DUMBER TO C Mon & Tue: (2:00, 4:50),
7:35, 10:10
BIG HERO 6 B Mon & Tue: (1:40, 4:20), 7:10, 9:50
INTERSTELLAR C Mon & Tue: (12:10, 4:00), 8:00
NIGHTCRAWLER E Mon & Tue: (4:15), 7:20, 10:15
THE BOOK OF LIFE B Mon & Tue: (1:50 PM)
THE BOOK OF LIFE 3D B 12:00, 4:45
THE BOOK OF LIFE B 2:20, 7:00, 9:20
DRACULA UNTOLD C 12:30, 2:40, 5:15, 7:45, 10:00
THE JUDGE E 12:45 PM
THE EQUALIZER E 1:00, 4:00, 7:15, 10:10
THE MAZE RUNNER C 12:15, 2:50, 5:30, 8:00, 10:30
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY C 3:45, 6:45, 9:30
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1 C
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EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS C (11:10, 12:15, 3:30,
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THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING C (11:25, 2:10, 4:55),
7:40, 10:20
FOXCATCHER E (12:30, 3:30), 7:10, 10:05
THE HOMESMAN E (1:00, 4:00), 7:00, 9:50
ST. VINCENT C (2:25 PM)
BIRDMAN E (11:00, 1:40), 7:45, 10:25
WHIPLASH E (11:20, 1:50, 4:35), 7:15, 9:45
BOYHOOD E (4:20 PM)
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES IN
3D C Wed & Thu: (3:30 PM)
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES C
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pertussis after getting vac-
cinated have a milder ill-
ness.”
Whooping cough was
common in the U.S., caus-
ing hundreds of thousands
of illnesses annually and
thousands of deaths, until a
vaccine was introduced in
the 1940s. After the vaccine
became widely available,
the number of cases
dropped to fewer than
5,000 a year.
That vaccine was re-
placed in the 1990s because
of side effects, which in-
cluded pain and swelling
from the shot and fever. The
newer vaccine is part of
routine childhood vaccina-
tions as well as adult boos-
ter shots.
Dr. Gil Chavez, an epide-
miologist with the Califor-
nia Department of Public
Health, said that while
more people, especially
pregnant women, need to
get vaccinated, he does not
believe low inoculation
rates are the primary cause
of the current epidemic: Of
this year’s pediatric cases
that had information on the
child’s vaccination history,
only 10 percent ofhad not
been vaccinated against
pertussis.
Chavez says the new vac-
cine’s limitations and bet-
ter tests have led to the in-
crease in cases.
Cases are likely to conti-
nue to climb as doctors do a
better job of detecting the
illness, officials say.
Like other diseases,
whooping cough is underre-
ported, Zahn, of the Health
Care Agency, said. “An aw-
ful lot of kids out there, es-
pecially school-aged kids,
with mild diseases, proba-
bly aren’t going to the doc-
tor,” he said. “With a mild
illness, they still may be
passing on the germ. That
is one of the limits of our
ability to contain pertussis
in the community.”
The Associated Press
contributed to this report.
oculation, known as Tdap,
has led to fewer deaths than
in the past and in instances
where people do get sick,
their illnesses aren’t as sev-
ere.
“We have seen kids who
have had the vaccination
still get pertussis, and ob-
viously that’s of note to all
of us,” Zahn said. “But the
kids who end up getting
FROM PAGE 1
COUGH
CONTACT THE WRITER:
jchandler@ocregister.com and
@jennakchandler on Twitter
JAE C. HONG, AP
Incidence of pertussis has
risen since a new vaccine
was introduced in 1990s.
dren even in extreme emergencies.
Under the new law, Kahn said, each public
school will have two two-packs of EpiPens. Ele-
mentary schools will have both junior and adult
versions to accommodate varying sizes and
physiques, she said.
Certain staff members will also be trained to
administer the drug, Kahn said.
“This is not a drug that can be administered
willy-nilly,” she said. “Credentialed school nurs-
es will do the training and it will be done on an
annual basis.”
Also, the drug will be restocked within two
weeks of use, as required by the law, Kahn said.
While the law will be mandatory for public
schools, it will remain optional for private
schools.
An important part of the training is to call 911
as soon as the epinephrine is administered, said
Riva Apodaca, the School Nurse Department
chairwoman at Garden Grove Unified School
District, the largest district in the county.
Apodaca said her district has 48,284 stu-
dents, with 344 EpiPens in schools. So far, the
district has documented 1,473 cases of food al-
lergy reactions and 136 bee sting reactions this
school year. There are also reactions to latex,
cold or even exercise. On average, Apodaca
says, the district’s schools use EpiPens 10 to 20
times a year.
“I’m very happy that the law has passed,” she
said. “This will be another layer of security.”
The EpiPens will cost each school about $300
for a set of four, Apodaca said.
A common question Apodaca gets is what
happens if a child is mistakenly given a dose of
epinephrine.
“If you give it by mistake, nothing will happen
except for the heartbeat going up a little,” she
said. “Not having them at hand is a lot more
dangerous and potentially fatal.”
JOSHUA SUDOCK, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A state law to take effect Jan. 1 will require
public schools to have epinephrine injectors
on hand. They cost about $300 for four.
FROM PAGE 1
ALLERGIES
CONTACT THE WRITER:
714-796-7909 or dbharath@ocregister.com
Feeling tense? You’re not
alone. Thanks to too many
bills, too much to do, relation-
ship conflicts and health pro-
blems, one in four Americans
say they’ve felt stretched to
the breaking point in the past
month, according to a recent
nationwide survey. And half
of us have faced one of life’s
major stress-boosters in the
past year: a birth or death;
marriage or divorce; or buy-
ing or selling a home.
Life’s ups and downs don’t
have to take a long-term
health toll. True, chronic
stress increases your risk for
all kinds of health problems
and can make taking care of
the ones you have more diffi-
cult. But tension-taming stra-
tegies can make you feel so
good today and reach deep in-
to your body, flipping switch-
es to create better health for
the long run.
Case in point: Researchers
from Canada’s University of
Calgary discovered that
breast cancer survivors who
practiced a simple daily med-
itation had longer “caps” on
the ends of their DNA com-
pared with survivors who
didn’t take these stress-bust-
ing mental breaks. These
caps are called telomeres.
They work like the plastic bit
at the end of a shoelace, keep-
ing everything intact and al-
lowing chromosomes to re-
produce so they can repair
and replace other cells that
are injured.
Telomeres naturally get
shorter as we age, but re-
search indicates that stress
accelerates their fraying,
raising your risk for heart dis-
ease, diabetes and even can-
cer. Fortunately, further re-
pressure, lowers stress hor-
mone levels and can slow
your heart rate. So give your
BFF a call today and get to-
gether with someone you like
(or love) this week.
4. Music. Lots of research
shows listening to your favo-
rite tunes can knock a few
points off your blood pres-
sure, soothe stress hormone
levels and reduce pain.
5. Just chill ... at home or
away. Whether you take a va-
cation, a “staycation,” kick
back for an hour with a glass
of wine and a good book, or go
for a soak in the tub, plain old
relaxation has big benefits.
Vacations cut the risk for
heart attacks and heart-dis-
ease-related deaths in two big
studies of men and women.
And in one recent study, men
who took time every day to
relax actually lengthened
their telomeres. Simply put,
chilling out keeps you youn-
ger longer.
munity or simply sit comfor-
tably with your eyes closed
and pay attention to your
breathing. Gently refocus
your attention on your breath
whenever your mind wan-
ders. Check out sharecare
.com for more detailed in-
structions.
2. Deep breathing. When
you breathe in through your
nose (count to four) and out
through your mouth (slowly,
count to eight), that sends be-
neficial nitric oxide into your
lungs – encouraging your air-
ways to expand. You’ll in-
stantly increase the oxygen
level in your blood by up to 3
percent. Not bad.
3. Time with friends. Get-
ting together to watch the big
game, going to a Friday-night
movie or however else you do
it, spending time with sup-
portive friends and family
feels great and makes you
healthier. Studies show that
social support calms blood
search reveals that there are
many do-it-yourself tension-
tamers to help keep that from
happening. They melt anxiety
while pampering your heart
and reducing pain, which
keeps your cells young and
gives you more energy.
These do-it-yourself ten-
sion-tamers are good for eve-
ryone at any age – whether
you enjoy hanging out with
friends, meditating or soak-
ing in a hot tub. Hint: If you’re
the super-busy type who has
trouble taking a little “me”
time, think of relaxing as a
health Rx instead of an indul-
gence. With stress-manage-
ment techniques, exercise
and great food choices, you
can decelerate stress damage
and slow the aging process.
Here’s what you might try:
1. Meditation. Mindfulness
meditation can help your bo-
dy process blood sugar bet-
ter, help curb overeating and
improve blood pressure, too.
Try it: Look for a mindfulness
meditation class in your com-
THE YOU DOCS
Destressing
freshens body
as well as mind
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Research shows that destressing activities like meditation
can in some cases strengthen DNA.
The YOU Docs, Mehmet Oz,
left, and Mike Roizen, are auth-
ors of “YOU: The Owner’s Manual
to Inner and Outer Beauty.” To
submit questions, go to their Web
site, RealAge.com.