This is a list of ailments and conditions that may affect you or your family at certain stages of life. Here you will find information such as the symptoms, and the best way to relieve the situation until a medical professional has been called.
This medical emergency has become more common in recent times, due to an increase in severe peanut allergy. Sensitive people may have symptoms within minutes of a bee or wasp sting, or of eating shellfish or nuts, or even touching tiny traces of peanut oil.
Anaphylactic shock is a more severe response to an allergen (see allergies). A rapid increase in a body chemical called histamine narrows the airways, which affects breathing, and relaxes the blood vessels, leading to a sudden drop in blood pressure. Recognising the symptoms of anaphylactic shock can help to save a life.
Symptoms include:
Acute anxiety
Pale skin
Sweating
Weakness
Floppiness
Blotchy raised skin rash
Swelling and itching of face and the inside of mouth and tongue
Difficulty in breathing and swallowing (saliva may dribble from mouth)
Abdominal pain
Vomiting or diarrhoea
Loss of consciousness
Treatment
If your child has any of these symptoms, call your doctor, dial 999 or take your child to hospital immediately
While you are waiting don’t give your child anything to eat or drink
Raise his head and chest on propped-up pillows to aid breathing
If your child vomits or loses consciousness, put him in the recovery position
Your doctor will give a life-saving injection of adrenaline to raise blood pressure and may insert a tube through the mouth to assist breathing.
Prevention
You will be told how to avoid further attacks, and given an emergency adrenaline injection kit. Your child should have this with him at all times, and you may need to explain to nursery or school staff how it should be used. Your child could also wear a MedicAlert disc to show that he has a hidden health problem that may need urgent treatment.
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