I recently read the coronial findings following the very sad death of 15 year old Jack Irvine from Melbourne, who died after eating a biscuit at a sporting event in 2014. Click here to read the findings. Of particular note was that Jack’s mother said she was not educated on the difficulty of distinguishing between asthma and anaphylaxis. She also said she was not informed that there could be a delayed onset of symptoms after exposure to the allergen. It was thought that Jack was having an asthma attack as his symptoms occurred sometime after eating the biscuit. If in doubt, give the Epipen first!

May 15 is the beginning of Food Allergy Awareness Week. A food allergy is when the body’s immune system mistakenly recognises that a food protein is harmful and releases a massive amount of chemicals.

An allergic reaction can be mild to very serious and can include hives, swelling of the lips, face and eyes, tummy pains, swelling of the tongue and throat, breathing problems and collapsing.

Anaphylaxis is a potentially life threatening allergic reaction and always involves the breathing and /or the heart systems. It usually occurs within a few minutes to two hours after eating just a small amount of the food.

Food allergy now affects 1 in 10 infants. The most common triggers are cow’s milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. Children often outgrow cow’s milk, egg, soy and wheat allergies during childhood. Common lifelong allergies include peanuts, tree nuts, sesame and seafood.

Other causes of anaphylaxis are:

• Bees, wasps, ticks and jack jumper ant stings often causing abdominal pain and vomiting
• Medication
• Latex
• Exercise induced anaphylaxis

Currently, there is no cure for food allergy. Avoidance of the food is the only way to prevent a reaction. Read the labels and ask questions. The 9 most common allergens must be declared on the packaging. Always carry your Action Plan and your medication with you.

Signs of a severe reaction:

• Difficult/noisy breathing
• Swelling of tongue
• Swelling/tightness in throat
• Difficulty talking and/or hoarse voice  
• Wheeze or persistent cough
• Persistent dizziness or collapse
• Pale and floppy (in young children)

The first line of treatment for severe allergic reactions is an autoinjector called the EpiPen^®.

Asthma or anaphylaxis?

If someone suddenly develops severe breathing difficulty, give adrenaline (epinephrine) autoinjector FIRST and THEN asthma reliever medication.

Education is key! For more information about Allergies and what causes them and how to best assist someone who might be experiencing an allergic reaction, click here or visit www.allergy.org.au

Sister Margaret Bates
College Nurse