Anaphylaxis 101

What is anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that can be life threatening. Some of the most common causes of these reactions are insect stings, medicine and latex. The most common food allergens that cause reactions when ingested are peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, and egg and milk products.

What is anaphylactic shock?
Also according to Anaphylaxis Canada, anaphylactic shock is "an explosive reaction of the body's immune system to a triggering agent (allergen). It can be characterized by swelling, difficulty breathing, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, circulatory collapse, coma and death."

Symptoms of anaphylactic shock tend to develop rapidly, though their initial onset can be deceivingly mild. This is why it is so important to teach allergic children to recognize the symptoms and to react immediately by telling an adult to get help.

Some symptoms to watch for include:
• uneasiness, upset and red in the face
• rapid heartbeat
• itchiness
• throbbing in the ears
• sneezing
• coughing
• difficulty breathing

According to Anaphylaxis Canada, as anaphylaxis progresses shock can set in causing blood vessels to become leaky and blood pressure to drop -- the victim may feel cold, clammy and faint. When anaphylaxis occurs victims need a shot of epinephrine (usually from an EpiPen®) to control the reaction, then he or she must get to a hospital.