My five year old son has been on an insulin pump for the past two years. Recently, my son’s endocrinologist refused to renew a prescription for EMLA cream and stated that there were some concerns about long-term use. Are there any adverse effects to long-term use?

Topical lidocaine can cause one to become allergic to the lidocaine itself. Typical reactions are skin rash, etc. I expect that is his concern. If not, I don’t know what.

LD

[Editor’s comment: I would encourage you to do a few things:

Discuss this with your son’s pediatrician. Maybe he or she will write the prescription.
Contact the drug information department of the company manufacturing EMLA and ask the same question.
Ask for a referral or an opinion from a dermatologist who might know the answer.
A book called Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics (Emla), by Gideon Koren, may also be of help if your local medical library has a copy.
SS]