Latest news with #anaphylaxis
Health Line
27 minutes ago
- Health
- Health Line
Allergic Reaction First Aid: What to Do
Key takeaways If you or someone you're with is experiencing anaphylaxis, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately. Help them use an epinephrine auto-injector (sometimes called an EpiPen) if they have one. Serious allergic reactions can cause anaphylaxis within minutes of exposure. Without treatment, anaphylaxis can lead to loss of consciousness, respiratory distress, and cardiac arrest. Doctors typically prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector if you have severe allergies. Keep it with you at all times in case of a reaction, and use it at the first indication of symptoms. Your immune system creates antibodies to fight off foreign substances so you don't get sick. But sometimes your system may react to a common substance that is not harmful to most people, such as a food, a medication, or some aspect of your environment. This is called an allergic reaction, and the substances that can cause it are called allergens. When your body comes into contact with an allergen, you might experience mild symptoms like skin irritation, watery eyes, or sneezing. But in some people, allergies can lead to anaphylaxis, which is a life threatening condition. Anaphylaxis results in shock, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and difficulty breathing. It can even cause your breathing to stop and cause your heart to stop beating. Immediately call 911 or your local emergency services if you or someone you're with is experiencing anaphylaxis. What are the symptoms of an allergic reaction? Your body's reaction to an allergen depends on what you're allergic to. Many parts of your body might react, such as your: airways nose skin mouth digestive system Common symptoms The following table shows which symptoms commonly occur with each type of allergy: Symptom Environmental allergy Food allergy Insect sting allergy Drug allergy sneezing X X runny or stuffy nose X skin irritation (itchiness, redness/discoloration, peeling) X X X X hives X X X X rash X X X X nausea or vomiting X diarrhea X trouble breathing, shortness of breath, or wheezing X X X X watery and bloodshot eyes X swelling of your face or the contact area X X X X rapid pulse X X X dizziness X X Anaphylaxis or severe reactions The most serious allergic reactions can cause anaphylaxis within minutes of allergen exposure. Without treatment, anaphylaxis can lead to loss of consciousness, respiratory distress, and cardiac arrest. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include: skin reactions, such as hives, itching, or pale skin wheezing or trouble breathing lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting facial swelling nausea a weak, fast pulse vomiting diarrhea Get emergency help if you or someone you're with is experiencing anaphylaxis, even if the symptoms start to subside. Symptoms can sometimes return in a second phase of the reaction. What to do when someone is experiencing anaphylaxis If you're with someone who is experiencing anaphylaxis, you should: Call 911 immediately. Find out whether the person has an epinephrine auto-injector (often known by the brand name 'EpiPen') and help them inject the medication if they cannot do it. Try to keep them calm. Help them lie on their back. Raise their feet about 12 inches and cover them with a blanket. Turn them onto their side if they're vomiting or bleeding. Make sure their clothing is loose so they can breathe. The sooner the person gets their epinephrine, the better. Do not give them oral medications or anything to drink. If you have allergies that may lead to an anaphylactic reaction, your doctor can prescribe emergency epinephrine. Each auto-injector contains a single dose of medication that you can inject into your thigh. It's important that you carry an auto-injector with you at all times if you have a history of severe allergies or if your doctor has advised you to do so. You should also teach your family and close friends how to inject the epinephrine in case of an emergency. CPR for anaphylaxis If someone has had an anaphylactic reaction and is not breathing, coughing, or moving, you may need to perform CPR. You can do this even if you don't have formal CPR training. CPR involves doing chest presses, about 100 per minute, until help arrives. If you're interested in learning CPR, you can contact the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or a local first aid organization for training. Treatments for allergic reactions Over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines and decongestants might relieve minor symptoms of an allergic reaction. But you should talk with your doctor before taking any OTC medication to treat allergy symptoms. Antihistamines prevent symptoms such as hives by blocking histamine receptors so your body doesn't react to allergens. Decongestants help clear your nose and are especially effective for seasonal allergies — but do not take them for more than 3 days, as doing so may cause allergic reaction symptoms to return or worsen. These medications are available as tablets, eye drops, and nasal sprays. Many OTC drugs cause drowsiness, so do not take them before driving or doing work that requires a lot of concentration. To help reduce swelling, itching, and skin redness or other discoloration, you can apply ice and topical creams that contain corticosteroids. If OTC medications don't work to reduce your mild allergy symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor. And call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to a medication. Treatments for food allergies The best remedy for a food allergy is usually to prevent a reaction by avoiding foods that trigger your allergy. If you accidentally eat a food you're allergic to or otherwise come into contact with it, OTC drugs can help reduce the reaction. But these drugs can only help relieve hives or itching. Oral cromolyn can help treat your other symptoms. It's available only by prescription, so talk with your doctor. If you have severe food allergies, carry epinephrine with you to treat any reaction you might have. Treatments for plant or bite allergies The treatment for a plant or bite allergy varies depending on the type of allergen. Poisonous plants According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, up to 75% of adults in the United States will have an allergic reaction when they touch poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. A sticky substance on these plants, which is called urushiol, binds to your skin upon contact. Symptoms can range from mild redness and itching to severe blisters and swelling. The first time you have contact with one of these plants, a rash might take up to 3 weeks to appear. But if it's not your first exposure, the rash may develop sooner, within 1 to 2 days. In either case, the rash usually lasts 1 to 3 weeks. If you've touched poisonous plants, take the following steps: Avoid touching other areas of your body, especially your face. Clean the affected area with soap and water for at least 10 minutes. Take a cool bath. Apply calamine lotion or another anti-itching lotion three or four times per day to relieve itching. Soothe inflamed areas with oatmeal products or 1% hydrocortisone cream. Wash all clothing and shoes in hot water. These steps focus on removing the urushiol from your skin. Severe reactions in children may require a doctor's visit, and a doctor may prescribe oral steroids or stronger creams to ease symptoms. Contact your doctor if you have a high fever and any of the following symptoms: worsening itching a rash that spreads to sensitive areas, such as your eyes or mouth a rash that does not improve a rash that is tender or has pus and yellow scabs Despite some claims, there's no scientific evidence to suggest that scratching an open wound leads to poison in your bloodstream. The leftover oil (urushiol) touches only the immediate area. You can avoid spreading the oil by immediately washing the affected area with soap and water. Insect stings Most people will have some reaction to an insect bite, but the most serious reaction is an allergic one. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, 1.6% to 5.1% of people in the United States may have had a life threatening allergic reaction to an insect sting at some point. Most common insect stings are from: bees wasps yellow jackets hornets fire ants You can treat insect stings with these first aid methods: Remove the stinger with a straight-edged object, such as a credit card, using a brushing motion. Avoid pulling or squeezing the stinger or using tweezers to remove it, as doing so may release more venom into your body. Wash the area with soap and water, and then apply an antiseptic. Apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion. Cover the area with a bandage. If there's swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. Take an antihistamine to reduce itching, swelling, and hives. Take an OTC pain reliever if needed. If you're pregnant, get the OK from your doctor before taking any OTC medications. Children should not take aspirin because of the risk of a rare but fatal condition called Reye syndrome. Jellyfish stings The American Red Cross recommends taking the following steps if a jellyfish stings you or someone else: Remove any tentacles from the skin. You can rinse them off with seawater or use an object to scrape them off. You can also use your hand, but be sure to cover it with a glove, towel, or plastic bag first. Submerge the affected area of skin in hot water for 20 minutes, or apply another heat source such as a chemical heat pack. Apply lidocaine gel if you have it. (If you don't have a heat source to use in step 2, you can apply this gel right after step 1.) Do not rub the skin or cover it with an elastic bandage. Monitor the person's condition for changes or symptoms of shock. While you might have heard that urinating on a jellyfish sting can reduce the pain, older research has not found it to be helpful. In fact, it might increase the pain. Treatment for drug allergies If you experience a serious drug reaction, antihistamines, corticosteroids, or epinephrine may be necessary to treat it. For most types of drug allergies, your doctor should be able to prescribe an alternative medication to help you avoid a reaction. Otherwise, your doctor might recommend a desensitization procedure, which involves taking small doses of the medication until your body can manage the dosage you need. How to prevent allergic reactions Once you've had an allergic reaction, it's important to identify the trigger and avoid future contact with that allergen. If you have ingredient-specific allergies, check the ingredients on foods or other products before purchase. Applying lotion before going hiking or camping may help prevent poison ivy from spreading or absorbing into your skin. The more you can avoid contact with allergens, the less likely you are to have an allergic reaction. Make sure your family, friends, and co-workers know about your allergies. Tell them where you keep your epinephrine auto-injector and show them how to use it. Teaching others how to treat an allergic reaction can help save a life. Takeaway Allergies to substances such as foods, insect stings, and medications can range from mild to serious. While some allergic reactions may cause only mild irritation, a severe reaction can lead to a life threatening condition called anaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include itching, hives, nausea, and trouble breathing. If you or someone you're with develops symptoms of anaphylaxis, call 911. If you have severe allergies, your doctor will prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector. Carry it with you at all times in case of a reaction, and use it at the first sign of symptoms. For mild allergic reactions, first aid procedures and OTC medications can help reduce pain and irritation.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Head teacher 'ran to call 999' after boy collapsed
A headteacher said she "ran straight to the phone" to call 999 after she saw a pupil lying on the floor in school, suffering from an allergic Blythe, from Stamford, Lincolnshire, was administered with an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) and given CPR after he was sick twice and collapsed at Barnack Primary School in December Amy Jones told an inquest a caretaker called her to a classroom, where she saw the five-year-old on the floor being administered with an AAI, or adrenaline who had asthma and a number of allergies, including to milk and eggs, died due to food-induced anaphylaxis. Ms Jones was giving evidence on Wednesday to the inquest at Peterborough Town said that, at the time, five members of staff at the school, which is between Stamford and Peterborough, had paediatric first-aid training, including how to administer an adrenaline staff members included teaching assistant Sophie Brown, who Ms Jones saw applying the adrenaline pen in the said she made the call on a telephone that was by the door in the classroom at 10:38 GMT. When asked if she was told anything before she made the call, she said: "I don't recall what I was told but I remember very clearly running in, seeing him lying on the floor, and immediately went to call 999." Area coroner Elizabeth Gray said Benedict had been kept off school on 30 November due to being sick twice the night went back to school on 1 December after his mother Helen, who gave evidence on Monday, said he "was fine and didn't appear to be unwell".The inquest previously heard that, while he was outside with other children during the morning break on 1 December, Benedict ate a gingerbread biscuit he had taken with him from Tuesday, the inquest heard in a statement by teaching assistant Chelsea Back that she remembered unwrapping Benedict's biscuit for him and seeing him eat it after he went to sit with another then returned to the classroom where he was offered oat milk but was said to have refused fell ill shortly after that and was later pronounced dead at Peterborough City Hospital. 'Extremely vigilant' On Wednesday, Ms Jones explained that Benedict's oat milk was in a labelled cartoon provided by his parents and kept in a large staff fridge, separate from the children's milk would be taken to the classroom and poured into his own cup, which would then be taken back to the staffroom and put in a was another child in the class who had lactose-free milk, and his milk was kept in the same fridge as Benedict's, the inquest Jones said that in September 2021 the school had been sent documents by his parents containing a list of allergies, symptoms and treatment Benedict should receive, and information on when to call a statement read out to the hearing, Ms Jones said that children were allowed to take in their own snacks from home but staff were "extremely vigilant on what children ate and monitored what they brought in".She also said the school was "heavily reliant" on parents providing information on how allergies should be inquest continues. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
The Sun
8 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
‘Benedict was dying in front of us' – Dad recalls son's tragic last moments after rushing to his school when he vomited
A DAD recalled his son's tragic last moments, as he desperately tried to save the five-year-old's life. Peter Blythe was called to his son Benedict's school after the tot vomited twice during break time. 8 8 8 He arrived at Barnack Primary, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, to find Benedict unconscious on the floor and staff frantically trying to revive him. The tot - who was in his first year at primary school and was allergic to milk, eggs and some nuts - had suffered a serious allergic reaction. 'Benedict was dying in front of us and I could not believe what was happening,' Peter said during an inquest at Peterborough Town Hall. The retired RAF senior aircraftsman immediately began CPR but struggled to clear mucus blocking Benedict's airway. Music teacher Dave Read, who was working outside the reception class at the time, saw Peter enter the room and then heard him yell. He stepped in to help as he was first aid trained. 'It seemed the right decision to take over CPR, as Mr Blythe was crying. But he was not in any way doing a bad job,' Dave said. 'Everyone was working together to do the right thing. At the time, the CPR felt like it was working.' Peter and school staff continued to perform CPR for ten to 15 minutes before paramedics arrived. Benedict's mother Helen got there just two minutes later, at the same time as an air ambulance. He was taken to Peterborough City Hospital but pronounced dead shortly before 1pm. His cause of death was given as food-induced anaphylaxis. The tragedy unfolded on December 1, 2021 when Benedict, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas, vomited during breaktime. He showed no other signs of an allergic reaction and teaching assistant Sophie Brown said that she assumed the sickness was related to an illness earlier in the week. 8 8 The youngster had been kept home on November 30 as he had been unwell and vomited in the night, the inquest was told. Sophie , who was trained in first aid and was aware of the boy's allergies, told the inquest: "He was off the day before so I assumed it was a bug." She didn't recall Benedict asking for his blue asthma inhaler. She said if he had, then she would have taken it as a sign that he was having an allergic reaction and fetched his epi-pens immediately. She told the inquest: "When I said 'are you feeling OK?' he said 'good'. He said 'no' to his mouth being tingling, there was nothing on his body that showed any hives." Sophie said Benedict changed his clothes before he vomited a second time ten minutes later. His class teacher Jenny Brass took him outside to get some fresh air. It was at this point he collapsed. 'I heard Jenny shouting my name and she was carrying Benedict inside,' Sophie told the inquest. 'He was floppy and appeared to be unconscious. His skin was grey-blue which I took to mean he was in shock and I immediately got his bag and administered his EpiPen.' The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis + what to do SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with with the offending food or trigger, but they can also come on up to one hour later. Most allergic reactions are mild but they can also be moderate or severe. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction which can be life threatening. In some cases, anaphylaxis symptoms lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal so it's important to know how to recognise them and act quickly. Mild to moderate symptoms include: Itchy mouth, tongue and throat Swelling of lips, around the eyes or face Red raised itchy rash (often called nettle rash, hives or urticaria) Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea Runny nose and sneezing Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include: Swelling of your throat and tongue Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing Feeling tired or confused Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting Skin that feels cold to the touch Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency. Follow these steps if you think you or someone you're with is having an anaphylactic reaction: Use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) if you have one – instructions are included on the side of the injector. Call 999 for an ambulance and say that you think you're having an anaphylactic reaction. Lie down – you can raise your legs, and if you're struggling to breathe, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you're pregnant, lie on your left side). If you have been stung by an insect, try to remove the sting if it's still in the skin. If your symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector. Do not stand or walk at any time, even if you feel better. Sources: Allergy UK, NHS She added that she could feel Benedict breathing and placed him in the recovery position. When he stopped breathing she began to perform CPR. Paramedics and his father were called and Peter arrived shortly afterwards. Benedict was one of three children in the class with known allergies. Sophie said she had not seen any written allergy management plan for him but had received online anaphylaxis training and online and in-person training on how to use an epi pen. The jury heard that Benedict, who lived in Stamford with his parents and younger sister Etta, had eaten a McVities gingerbread biscuit as a break time snack, which he had brought in from home. He had refused a carton of oat milk and drank water instead. Helen, Benedict's mum, previously told the inquest jury that vomiting was "always" the first symptom of his allergic reactions, but "how it played out after that varied". She said the youngster was "well aware" of his allergic reactions and had woken up "as normal and in good health" that morning. The mum also told how she was "terrified" after learning Benedict had fallen ill. She continued: "The day Benedict died, our world broke but what's even more unbearable is the knowledge that we weren't alone. "Benedict was not just a child with allergies, he was a whole universe - curious, funny, kind and loving - and the world should have been safer for him." The Benedict Blythe Foundation was set up in his memory by his family last year. Along with The Allergy Team and the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA), the charity launched the schools allergy code to protect children with allergies and set out how schools can keep pupils safe. The inquest is scheduled to continue for the rest of the week, with other school staff and health professionals due to give evidence. 8 8
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Teaching assistant mistook tragic schoolboy's allergic reaction for stomach bug because he was 'sick quite often'
A teaching assistant who mistook a highly intelligent schoolboy's allergic reaction for a stomach bug didn't know he was dying as he was 'sick quite often'. Benedict Blythe, 5, vomited twice and collapsed at Barnack Primary School in Stamford, Lincolnshire, on December 1, 2021. The 'kind-souled' child, who joined the high-IQ society Mensa when he was aged just four, was allergic to milk, eggs and some nuts and had asthma, an inquest was told. A jury at Peterborough Town Hall heard Benedict was kept home from school because of illness the day before the tragic incident. The five-year-old died in hospital and his cause of death was later found to be food-induced anaphylaxis, the inquest heard. He had been kept off school the previous day because he was feeling unwell overnight and vomited, but woke up 'in good health' on the day of his death and was excited to open his advent calendar which had been filled with dairy-free chocolate by his parents, the court heard. Sophie Brown, who was a teaching assistant at the school, said from her memory Benedict was 'sick quite often' and she asked him questions after he vomited the first time that day to check if it was an allergic reaction. She told the inquest: 'When I said "are you feeling OK?" he said "good". He said "no" to his mouth being tingling, there was nothing on his body that showed any hives.' Ms Brown, who was trained in first aid and was aware of the boy's allergies, said Benedict changed his clothes before he vomited a second time 10 minutes later. Speaking about the minutes between Benedict vomiting the first and second time, she told the jury: 'He was happy, he was giggling, he made a few comments about the book we were reading.' Ms Brown told the inquest: 'He was off the day before so I assumed it was a bug.' The teaching assistant added she did not know at the time why he had been kept home from school the previous day. The court heard milk for the pupils was kept in two separate fridges - one for dairy milk and one for dairy-free milk - in a staff room at the school, and that Benedict had his own bottle at the school to drink from. Ms Brown said she does not recall who gave Benedict his oat milk that morning, which he refused to drink, but said it was not her. The teaching assistant told the jury she could not remember whether Benedict had asked for his inhaler after he had vomited. The inquest previously heard, from Benedict's mother Helen Blythe, that vomiting was 'always' the first symptom of his allergic reactions and the school was provided with a management plan with his usual symptoms. The court heard that after Benedict collapsed, his adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) was administered twice but he became unresponsive and was transported to Peterborough City Hospital, where he later died. Speaking about her son at a previous hearing, Ms Blythe had said: 'Quick-minded, and kind-souled, Benedict's love of 'playing numbers' was one hint to why he joined Mensa when he was four. 'He collected numbers like other children collect toy cars and would bubble over with excitement when he could work out something new.' The inquest has been adjourned until Wednesday morning.
Medscape
15 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
Tryptase Ratio May Improve Anaphylaxis Diagnosis in Children
TOPLINE: In a decade-long study, a ratio of serum acute tryptase to serum baseline tryptase above 1.74 showed superior diagnostic performance compared with the current consensus formula, which requires serum acute tryptase to be greater than a personalized cutoff value. The ratio correctly identified more than two thirds of true cases while ruling out the majority of false cases in children with suspected anaphylaxis. METHODOLOGY: Researchers reviewed medical records of 315 children (median age, 7.8 years; 56.2% boys) admitted to the emergency department with suspected anaphylaxis from January 2011 to December 2020 to assess the diagnostic performance of serum tryptase measurements. The diagnosis of anaphylaxis was confirmed when children showed at least one extracutaneous systemic symptom and had evidence of systemic mast cell activation or allergic sensitization to a trigger allergen. Those with a confirmed diagnosis constituted the anaphylaxis group (n = 175), while the remaining served as the control group (n = 142). Researchers compared the diagnostic performance of the consensus formula with that of five alternative tryptase interpretation algorithms. TAKEAWAY: Food allergens triggered 82% of anaphylaxis reactions, with legumes, seeds, and nuts being the triggers in 36% of cases, followed by cow's milk proteins in 28% of cases. Epinephrine was administered in 96 children with suspected anaphylaxis (30.3%), including 14 children who were initially misdiagnosed as having anaphylaxis due to cardiovascular involvement and a credible history of allergen exposure. The ratio of serum acute tryptase to serum baseline tryptase showed optimal diagnostic performance, with an area under the curve of 0.84, sensitivity of 66.7%, and specificity of 90% at a threshold of 1.74 — outperforming the current consensus formula, which has a sensitivity of 62.2% and specificity of 80%. IN PRACTICE: 'Our study underlines the need for better implementation of both sAT [serum acute tryptase] and sBT [serum baseline tryptase] measurements at adequate sampling times in pediatric EDs [emergency departments] and contributes to the ongoing debate on the optimal interpretation of pediatric dynamic tryptase,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: Moïse Michel, PhD, with the Nîmes University Hospital, Nîmes, France, was the corresponding author of the study, which was published online on June 24 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its retrospective design and the absence of grade 4 anaphylaxis cases in the cohort, limiting the evaluation of tryptase measurement performance. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any specific funding. One author reported receiving speaker or consultancy fees from various pharmaceutical manufacturers. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
