My Talisman
I was given an SOS talisman when I was very young. I cannot remember exactly when, but I certainly had it during my primary school years and I may have received it even earlier than then. I wore it around my neck to school every day until I was about 13 or 14 and then stopped. I cannot recall why, but probably due to the inconvenience of connecting the minuscule loop to the chain every drowsy school-day morning.
I had never worn it since, until a few weeks ago when I needed to prove I had a nut allergy to explain why I was carrying EpiPens when I visited the public gallery in Cardiff Crown Court. But despite my reluctance to use it on a daily basis, I certainly see the merit of the SOS talisman.
SOS: My talisman and chain
Why are they Important?
The personal and medical information contained in the talisman – the exact details of which I will list later – could save vital time in an emergency situation. For example, if a nut allergy sufferer goes into anaphylactic shock the talisman can effectively communicate for them when it is not possible for them to do so. This is particularly important for their treatment, and can save the emergency services crucial time in making a diagnosis. Proper and quick treatment can save financial costs, as well as, of course, human lives.
The SOS medallion can be effective for a wide range of sufferers beyond people with nut allergies. For example; Diabetes, Autism, Emphysema and Anaemia, amongst others, can be helped by an SOS talisman, while people with hearing or visual impairments and those taking multiple types of medicine can also benefit from them.
Inside: The Paper Folds as such Inside the Talisman
The SOS talisman brand is also recognised internationally, so it can be very helpful when a sufferer is on holiday. It might be the difference in allowing someone to tell you if there are nuts in certain food, if the person knows what exactly you suffer from. In these cases, the talisman can break language barriers.
Also, as it states on the SOS talisman website, the medallion is: “Both water-tight and heat resistant, yet easily accessible in an emergency.” On mine, all you have to do is twist the top, and you are inside in 5 seconds.
Inside the Talisman
So what is inside the talisman? It is basically a folded up piece of paper with categories of information on. On the front, it has the SOS number while my basic yet important details are in the middle. These include my name, address and contact details of my parents and my doctor (with indications that they are GB numbers), as well as my religion.
Unfolded: The Paper Inside the Talisman Containing Important Information
Then on the back there is my allergy and the medicine that I would require in an emergency. There is also a list of the vaccinations that I have had and whether they are up to date. Penultimately, there is a list of any other medical conditions (i.e. hay fever) and finally there is more detail of my main allergy, for example the types of nuts I am most allergic to – Brazil nuts and Hazelnuts.
Other SOS Jewellery
There are other jewellery options other than the original talisman. There are a variety of bracelets, pendants, watch capsules and straps, available in stainless steel, gold, chrome, silver and many more. And this is only from the SOS talisman brand.
Others such as Universal Medical ID produce fashionable medical jewellery, and even sell other items like ID-engraved sports bands and even a USB dog tag!
But whether you choose fashion or simplicity, a nut allergy sufferer should have an SOS talisman and I should definitely use mine more often. SOS talisman markets its products with the line: “Jewellery that can save your life.” They are certainly not wrong.
Nut Allergy Questions 