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Request an Appointment with codes: Allergy
214-456-2084
Fax: 214-456-8317
469-497-2504
Fax: 469-497-2510
Request an Appointment with codes: Allergy
Anaphylaxis (ana·phy·lax·is) is a severe, immediate, and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that involves the child's entire body. It can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something the child is allergic to, such as a peanut or the venom from a bee sting. For instance, after suffering a bee sting, your child’s immune system becomes sensitized to the venom. That means that when your child is again exposed to the allergen, he may suffer an allergic reaction.
Besides insect bites and stings, common causes include drugs and foods. About 3 million youngsters have a food allergy.
Eight foods account for most of the reactions. Prompt treatment and appropriate therapy will lessen the symptoms of anaphylaxis and may save your child's life.
Anaphylactic shock may be life-threatening, so it requires immediate treatment. It is important to administer life-saving epinephrine and get your child to an emergency room right away.
During an anaphylactic reaction, the body’s immune system releases a flood of chemicals. This can cause anaphylactic shock, which may include symptoms such as narrowing of breathing airways an/or a drop in blood pressure.
The rapidly developing symptoms include:
To prevent anaphylaxis, parents are advised to keep children away from foods and medications that caused past allergic reactions. If your child is allergic to certain foods, be careful when the family is eating out. Ask detailed questions about the ingredients in a menu serving. At the grocery store, carefully examine ingredient labels.
When you take your child for medical treatment, a physician’s first priority is a physical examination. This will assess the child’s airway, breathing and circulation. Your doctor will also assess alertness and orientation. During the clinical diagnosis for anaphylaxis, the physician will ask parents about their children’s allergies or previous allergic reactions.
Epinephrine (epi·neph·rine), or epi, is the most effective immediate treatment. It reverses the most serious symptoms (breathing and dangerous blood-pressure drop).
When you take your child for medical treatment, a physician’s first step is a physical examination. This will assess the child’s airway, breathing and circulation. Your doctor will also assess alertness and orientation.
Examination findings may include:
During the clinical diagnosis for anaphylaxis, the physician will ask parents about their child’s allergies or previous allergic reactions.
Typical questions include:
Your doctor also may test your child for:
Blood tests for tryptase might be helpful in diagnosing anaphylaxis due to insect stings or medications. This test has only limited use if the cause is food.
The physician may order lab tests such as:
Waste no time! Call 911!
Treatment for anaphylaxis begins at home with the parent. An anaphylactic reaction is an emergency situation that requires immediate medical attention.
Paramedics may perform endotracheal intubation (placing of a tube through the nose or mouth into the airways), or they may perform a tracheostomy (placing a tube into the trachea).
After lifesaving measures and epinephrine are administered, your child may receive antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, and corticosteroids, such as prednisone. This will further improve symptoms, reducing inflammation of air passages and improving breathing.
The emergency professionals might also administer a beta-agonist, such as albuterol, to relieve breathing symptoms or oxygen to improve restricted breathing.
Epinephrine is the most effective immediate treatment. If administered in time, it can reverse the life-threatening symptoms of anaphylactic shock, which include serious breathing problems and a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
Following epinephrine, antihistamines and steroid drugs like prednisone and methylprednisolone can help reduce hives and itching, as well as forestall the return of acute symptoms.
For allergic reactions related to insect stings or foods, your doctor can provide you with an epinephrine injection kit. If your child’s anaphylactic reaction is caused by stings, a series of allergy shots may reduce his body's allergic response and prevent a severe reaction in the future.
Symptoms can occur within minutes of exposure to an allergen. However, anaphylaxis also can occur a half-hour or longer from exposure.
More than 170 foods can cause food allergies, but more than 90% of food allergies are caused by milk, wheat, soy, egg, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, fish and sesame seed.
The standard treatment is strict avoidance of the allergen and carrying two epinephrine injectors with you or with your child at all times.
For food allergies, learn to read food labels to protect against accidental exposure to an allergen. Food labels are required to clearly identify if the food contains any of eight specific food allergy sources (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy.)
Possible complications include airway blockage, cardiac arrest (when the heart stops,) respiratory arrest (when breathing stops) and shock. Waste no time! Call 911!