Allergies are more common than they used to be. There are several theories as to why this is the case.
One is that improved hygiene means children aren’t getting as many infections. Infections are normally fought by the same mechanisms that are involved in tackling allergies.
Another theory is a lack of vitamin D intake. Vitamin D can help our immune system develop a healthy response making us less susceptible to allergies.
It is thought that eating the common trigger foods during weaning can lead to a healthy response and prevent allergies developing but please always speak to your GP before offering your child allergens if you have a history of severe allergies in your family.
What is Anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a serious and often sudden allergic reaction. It’s a reaction that will affect the whole body. The reaction will usually begin within minutes of a person being exposed to the allergen but in rare cases it can take up to 2-3 hours.
Anaphylaxis is potentially life-threatening, and always requires an immediate emergency response.
What causes it?
There are 14 main allergens including:
Wheat
Suphites/Sulphur Dioxide
Sulphites are preservatives added to food and drinks to extend their shelf life. The term ‘sulphites’ is a general term for a group of chemicals. Severe allergic reactions to sulphites can happen but are believed to be very rare.
Celery
Crustaceans
Crab, lobster, crayfish, prawns
Egg
Fish
Lupin
Lupin seeds are crushed to make lupin flour, which can be used in baked goods such as pastries, pies, pancakes and in pasta.
Milk
Mustard
Molluscs
Examples are muscles, oysters, scallops, squid, octopus
Tree nuts
Examples are hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashew nuts
Peanuts
The peanut is a legume, related to foods such as peas, beans and lentils.
Sesame
Soya
Soya is a food derived from the soya bean, which is a legume.
How do you recognise Anaphylaxis?
An allergic reaction is generally classed as anaphylaxis if there are changes to a person’s breathing, heart rate or blood pressure. Medical professionals consider an allergic reaction to be anaphylaxis when it involves difficulty breathing or affects the heart rhythm or blood pressure.
These are known as the ABC symptoms.
A – Airway
Swelling in the throat, tongue or upper airways. Tightening of the throat, horse voice, difficulty swallowing.
B – Breathing
Sudden onset of breathing difficulties or wheezing or noisy breathing.
C – Circulation
Dizziness, feeling faint, sudden sleepiness, tiredness, confusion, pale, clammy skin, loss of consciousness.
These ABC symptoms will usually also be accompanied by other less serious symptoms such as:
Flushing of the skin
A rash
Swelling of the skin (for example lips, face)
Stomach pain, feeling sick and vomiting
If the child doesn’t have any of the key ABC symptoms the reaction is probably less serious but the child should be monitored in case these more serious symptoms develop.
What should you do?
If you suspect anaphylaxis you need to ACT FAST. Call 999 and get an ambulance on the way as quickly as possible. Say the word anaphylaxis (ana-fil-axis) when making the call.
Lie the child down with their legs raised to help the blood flow back to the heart and vital organs.
If they are struggling to breath they may need to be propped up but this should be for as short a time as possible.
Avoid any sudden changes in posture. Do not stand or sit them up even if they start to feel better as this could lower their blood pressure.
How do you treat it?
If your child carries an AAI (adrenaline auto-injector) this should be given in the outer thigh. Instructions vary depending on what brand you have so always follow the instructions carefully.
Anaphylaxis can come on very quickly. As soon as you suspect anaphylaxis you must use the AAI without delay.
If in doubt, use your AAI. Don’t wait to see how bad it is, or whether it will get worse.
An ambulance still needs to be called even if you have given the child the AAI.
How worried should you be about it?
Allergies are something that lots of parents worry about especially as they are becoming more common amongst children.
Anaphylaxis-type reactions are rare; they occur in around 0.1% of the population. (Source: allergyuk.org)
The proportion of anaphylaxis that is fatal is estimated at a fraction of 1%, or 1-5.5 fatal episodes from anaphylaxis per million of the population annually (Pawankar R, 2013).
Therefore, it is extremely rare.
Early recognition and acting quickly is key.
For more information visit the Allergy UK website.