Posts Tagged ‘child food allergy’

Food Allergy Help: Short And Long Term

11th March 2010 by Bronchitis No Comments

Parents whose children are diagnosed with a food allergy often feel confused, utterly alone and dismayed. They understand that the road ahead could be long and require a lot of lifestyle modifications. The good news is that there are many avenues for getting food allergy help, including emergency room staff, Epi-Pen makers, ambulance drivers, CPR instructors and nurses ready to spring to action in the event of serious allergic reactions. As well, there are doctors, researchers and allergists working on long-term therapies.

When an acute emergency situation occurs, parents of kids with food allergies must get help immediately. First, parents must recognize the signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock, such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, light-headedness, confusion, rapid swelling, hives, blue skin, severe abdominal pain, severe nausea and/or diarrhea. Shellfish and peanut allergies usually have the most severe reactions. Second, parents must call 9-1-1 or drive their child to the hospital immediately, phoning to let them know they’re coming so special support can be set up in advance. Patients whose doctors have identified them as high-risk candidates for anaphylactic shock often provide them with an Epi-Pen, which will deliver a dose of epinephrine/adrenalin to save a person who has lost consciousness. Lastly, parents must know how to administer CPR in the event that their child loses consciousness or stops breathing.

In addition to the short-term emergency treatments, there are currently three long-term experimental treatments that could offer food allergy help for patients. “This is the first time that we have a number of studies going on at the same time,” says Anne Munoz-Furlong, founder of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. “This is huge for the food allergy community. We finally can say that probably in 10 years, the landscape will look very different than it does now.” For milk, peanut and egg allergies, researchers are proposing oral immunotherapy, which has patients swallowing tiny but incremental increases of the food they’re allergic to, under doctor supervision, to build tolerance. For various food allergies, a similar technique called sublingual therapy (drops containing proteins that trigger allergies placed under the tongue) is being used. Lastly, adults and kids with a shellfish, tree nut, fish or peanut allergy are being given the Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (FAHF-2) pill.

People who suffer more serious allergy symptoms and reactions should carry medical food allergy help with them at all times. For instance, the Epi-Pen, a self-administered shot of epinephrine/adrenalin, is the only proven allergy medication that saves lives in the event of a serious medical emergency. Once a patient starts having a tough time breathing and collapses unconscious, the shot is administered by a friend, trusted bystander or family member to revive him or her. For more information on this lifesaving device, visit www.epipen.com/page/food-allergy–anaphylaxis-allergy-causes–allergic-reactions.

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