My son has been diagnosed with anaphylaxis to several different foods, and has been prescribed an epipen jr. My question relates to the risks of using the epipen.

My son has had mild reactions at times that involve swelling and hives, and has had two reactions where he also got quite drowsy. He has never had breathing difficulties, but his first reaction involved swelling, hives and drowsiness. Paramedics that attended one reaction advised not to use the epipen unless he was having breathing difficulties and that it could be dangerous to use it unnecessarily, but have been advised by others that if he gets drowsy we should use it.

What are the risks of using the pen unnecessarily, and should we just administer it immediately he shows signs of allergic reactions, no matter how mild??

Any advice gratefully accepted.