Anaphylaxis

Anaphylactic reactions are the most serious type of food allergy reaction.

This is the possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction following eating food – especially, peanut, fish and sesame.

Although the fatalities with food allergy are extremely rare, nonetheless, they still do occur.
Subsequently, it is important to know about this issue and to be prepared.

Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially fatal systemic allergic reaction that is rapid in onset.
Adrenaline (also called, epinephrine) is the first line medical therapy.  It needs to given promptly.
The most common way to give adrenaline at home is with an “Epipen”. 

The serious clinical presentations of anaphylaxis that are life threatening are:

• Feel dizzy
• Respiratory difficulty (wheezing and choking)
• Cardiovascular collapse (pallor, sweating, shock).

To make a diagnosis of anaphylaxis, the following set of circumstances is required.

• acute onset of symptoms involving the skin (hives, itchy, flushing)
• respiratory system (breathlessness, wheeze, stridor)
• or cardiovascular system (hypotonia, syncope) – a feeling of persistent dizziness.
• also gastrointestinal symptoms may occur, including crampy abdominal pain and vomiting.

Recommendation

If you or your child has had a serious adverse food reaction, then you should have skin-prick tests and/or RAST/EAST tests to document the severity of this food allergy.  You should have an assessment as to if you warrant an EpiPen.

We offer this service at The Childrens Clinic | Allergy Centre, Christchurch.
Getting children healthy again.