Food allergies

We think my son had an anaphylactic food reaction today - he reacted just like he did two years ago and I know that one was a food allergy. We've known about his severe peanut allergy since he was four, but nothing prepares you for when it happens - his panic, red-faced, feeling like he can't breathe, terrified he's going to die. And after the epi-pen, antihistamine, 2 hours in the ER, and vomiting up the offending trace of peanut in some cross-contaminated food, he's fine. Terrifying. Scary. Horrible.

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"The heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing." -- Blaise Pascal

RE: Food allergies

quote:

Originally posted by jublke We think my son had an anaphylactic food reaction today - he reacted just like he did two years ago and I know that one was a food allergy. We've known about his severe peanut allergy since he was four, but nothing prepares you for when it happens - his panic, red-faced, feeling like he can't breathe, terrified he's going to die. And after the epi-pen, antihistamine, 2 hours in the ER, and vomiting up the offending trace of peanut in some cross-contaminated food, he's fine. Terrifying. Scary. Horrible.

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Eagle Whisperer

Bah, those sneaky little peanuts......what a scare for you all, so glad he's ok now.

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Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope. - HELEN KELLER

Glad he's okay!

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The world looks less difficult when standing next to a close friend.

Sorry you had to go through all that, but glad he's feeling better.

My biggest pet-peeve with buffets and pot-lucks are the idiots that just grab any serving tool and stick it in any dish, not carrying that they are mixing food. Me, I don't like mixed food, but in your case, it could lead to a serious situation.

Hope it doesn't happen again.

CD, I had to send one of my students to the hospital. She was sitting in the hall between my classroom and the band room, she was supposed to be in band. She was struggling breathing and I asked her if she was okay. She said yeah, she just couldn't breathe to play her instrument. I went back to my classroom to put down the papers I was carrying and then back to the hall to talk to her some more. After finding out that she had just had a serious asthma, I went back to my room and called the secretary to inform her of the situation and that we should call her parents and an ambulance. The silly girl, who really was one of my better students, didn't bring her rescue inhaler with her. It took what was left of my prep period to get my own breathing under control from the adrenaline and the power of suggestion (anxiety is one of my triggers).

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Perspective Alters Reality

I'm glad he's OK. Julie.

What I haye about peanuts (and tree nuts) is they are used as fillers in things you wouldn't imagine and other items are produced on the same converyors and in the same facilities for the sross-contamination.

A lot of people just don't think about it. My son is allergic to tree nuts. He's old enough to read the ingrediants in things and to say no if there is no list, but it irks him. We've been lucky - other than the first incident, he hasn't had a reaction, but the epipen is always ready.

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I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers so far...

Julie, I'm so glad he will be okay! What's important is that you were there and you knew what to do when there was a problem. You're a good Mom who does what is necessary for your kids... and sometimes that includes tearing your hair out with worry.

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