VIDEO LECTURE: Anaphylaxis and Epi-Pen training

Nearly one in 50 people are at risk for anaphylaxis. Some children are allergic to certain foods, medicines, insects, and latex. When they come into contact with these things they develop symptoms, such as hives and shortness of breath. This is known as an allergic reaction. Things that cause an allergic reaction are called allergens.

Take all allergic symptoms seriously because both mild and severe symptoms can lead to a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis (anna-fih-LACK-sis).

Be Aware of Symptoms of Anaphylaxis

The symptoms of anaphylaxis may occur shortly after having contact with an allergen and can get worse quickly.

You can’t predict how your child will react to a certain allergen from one time to the next. Both types of symptoms and how serious they are can change. So, it’s important for you to be prepared for all allergic reactions, especially anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis must be treated right away to provide the best chance for improvement and prevent serious, potentially life-threatening complications.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis usually involve more than one part of the body such as the skin, mouth, eyes, lungs, heart, gut, and brain. Some symptoms include:

• Skin rashes and itching and hives
• Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat
• Shortness of breath, trouble breathing, wheezing (whistling sound during breathing)
• Dizziness and/or fainting
• Stomach pain, vomiting or diarrhoea
• Feeling like something awful is about to happen

Your child’s doctor will give you a complete list of symptoms.