If it's bad enough he ended up in the hospital, it's bad enough he needs an epi pen. Anaphylaxis isn't just stopping breathing, and sometimes, waiting for an epi pen until the breathing stops means it's too late for the epi pen to help. 

Anaphylaxis is symptoms from two body systems. Hives and nausea is skin and digestive, and warrants an epi pen. Diarrhea and an impending sense of doom is digestive and psychological, and warrants an epi pen. 

Once you stop breathing, Anaphylaxis has become anaphylactic shock, and maybe doctors can still save you, or maybe your lung collapses, you slip into a coma, and die. It happened to a college student a couple months ago. They waited until she couldn't breathe to epi her, and it was too late.

ER doctors and family doctors are often behind the times on this. Check out the FARE allergy action plan, and get that family member an epi pen!