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 About
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is an allergic emergency. It is a rapid,
severe allergic reaction that occurs when a person is exposed to an
allergen. When the allergen enters the bloodstream the body releases
chemicals to “protect” itself from the allergen. These
chemicals can cause dangerous symptoms, including breathing difficulty,
swelling, dizziness, shock, and even death.
Common warning signs of anaphylaxis are as follows:
- Tingling, itching
or metallic taste within the mouth
- Hives, swelling of mouth and/or throat
- Vomiting, diarrhea,
abdominal cramps
- Difficulty breathing, feeling of impending doom, drop
in blood pressure, loss
of
consciousness
Anaphylaxis is considered a medical emergency because
death can occur within minutes; it requires immediate attention. The
drug epinephrine is the preferred treatment for anaphylaxis and is available only by prescription.
Given as an injection, via the EpiPen®, epinephrine rapidly constricts the
blood vessels, relaxes the lung muscles to improve breathing, reverses swelling,
and stimulates the heartbeat. The sooner anaphylaxis is treated, the greater
the likelihood of survival. Therefore, you should be able to reach an EpiPen® within
seconds whenever you are with a child with severe food allergies. Keep an EpiPen® with you at all times. It may be a good idea to store an EpiPen® unit
wherever the child spends a lot of time, like at home, day care and school.
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