Maybe I’m the last dolt on Earth to tote around an anaphylaxis emergency kit that’s sticky from a previously used bottle of Benadryl that starts to ooze the second it’s in any position but vertical.

Maybe I’m the last idiot who’d just as soon throw away a practically new bottle rather than deal with the mess it inevitably will make when it starts dripping all over the Epi-Pen and albuterol inhaler it shares a tote bag with.

On the off chance I’m not, I wanted to pass along this tip from the school nurse at Big Guy’s soon-to-be kindergarten: Benadryl Quick Dissolve Strips.

Technically, they’re approved only for ages 6 to 12. Then again, so’s regular Benadryl. But when two doctors tell me to immediately hit him with two teaspoons of Benadryl (a dose that’s also contrary to labeling) in the case of a food allergy attack, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

I’ve always worried, though, about how I would get the Benadryl down him in the event of a severe attack — it’s been almost four years since we’ve had a major incident. I carried a squeeze dropper in my emergency kit, thinking that would be the best method. Remembering my own childhood bouts with anaphylaxis, I was skeptical.

Benadryl Quick Dissolve Strips solve that problem, though. Just stick it on their tongue and it’s gone.

The down side to the strips: The cost. They’re $5 or $6 for a box of 10. You could easily find generic Benadryl for a couple of bucks, though I usually wind up paying $5 or $6 anyway for the brand-name because I prefer dye-free medicines when I can get them. And I usually wind up wasting the bottle after it’s been opened because most of the medicine leaks out.

Just like with regular Benadryl, the strips come with a warning against use by asthmatics, which Big Guy also is. And, just like with regular Benadryl, I’m going to use it in an emergency anyway because two doctors have told me to. You might want to check with your physician before proceeding, though. I’m not a doctor — just a mom trying to be ready in case she needs to save her kid’s life, but hoping she never has to.

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