AN INFORMATION FEATURE FOR ANAPHYLAXIS CANADA
t h e g lo b e a n d m a i l • t h u r s daY, o c to b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 1
special
ANAPHYLAXIS
When it comes to food allergies, be careful,
but not fearful, say experts
ood allergies are a growing
public health concern,
affecting approximately 1.3
million Canadians.
An allergic reaction in its most
severe form, anaphylaxis, can be
life-threatening. A sudden-onset
reaction, anaphylaxis affects multiple body systems: the skin, upper
and lower respiratory tract, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. An overreaction of the body’s
immune system, it is characterized
by symptoms such as swelling, difficulty breathing, abdominal cramps,
vomiting, diarrhea and circulatory
collapse, leading in some cases to
coma and death.
While anaphylaxis can be
caused by insect stings, latex,
drugs and even exercise (and
many people have anaphylactic reactions for which the cause cannot
be identified), the most common
cause is food, says Toronto Sick
Kids Hospital allergist Dr. David
Hummel. So far, more than 100
different foods have been found
to cause anaphylaxis, but about
90 per cent of food allergies are
caused by peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, milk, eggs, fish, soy, sesame
seeds and wheat.
Many Canadian families grapple
daily with the challenges of living
safely with food allergies. “Severe
food allergies don’t just affect the
individual,” says Dr. Hummel.
“Studies show that there is a great
deal of stress on the family.”
Ontario mom Sarah Caskey is
very familiar with the safeguards
required. Her nine-year-old son
Ben is severely allergic to peanuts,
all tree nuts and sesame seeds.
When Ben was two and a half, he
put a cashew in his mouth, vomited, developed hives and started
coughing persistently. “We called
9-1-1 and he went through emergency treatment – up until that
time, we had no idea,” she says.
Managing Ben’s allergy affects
the family’s food preparation
and their planning for play dates,
birthday parties, school events,
dining out and travelling. “Our
philosophy is that we need to be
careful and vigilant, but we are not
fearful. We focus on preparedness
and communication: letting the
people who Ben comes in contact
with know about his allergy, and
helping them understand how to
keep him safe.”
Ben has carried an EpiPen, a
potentially life-saving auto-injector that provides a precise dose
of epinephrine, since his allergies
were discovered, and he knows
how to use it. In addition, says his
mother, “We encourage him to
feel confident about letting people
know about his allergies. We’re
constantly going over key messaging, keeping it age appropriate:
‘We share kindness not food,’ and
‘No Epi, no food.’
Sharing information with
teachers, staff, coaches and other
parents who might have Ben in
their care is equally important,
she says. “We’re very specific about
letting people know that Ben has
serious food allergies. We review
the symptoms of an allergic reaction, demonstrate how to use the
auto-injector, review the appropriate emergence response, and also
provide clear written instructions.”
ANAPHYLAXIS CANADA
Anaphylaxis Canada is a national non-profit charitable organization dedicated to helping
individuals with life-threatening
allergies live safely. As part of
our mission, we are committed
to supporting, educating and
advocating for the 1.3 million
Canadians at risk. As there is
no known cure for food allergy
or anaphylaxis, preventative
measures are key to keeping
people safe. Our organization
encourages allergic individuals
to follow important strategies,
including reading food labels
and always carrying an epinephrine auto-injector (e.g. EpiPen
or Twinject). We also provide
reliable and useful resources and
work closely with our community partners, including schools,
healthcare professionals and
food industry to further public
education and awareness. Visit
www.anaphylaxis.ca.
Growing awareness and initiatives such as “Sabrina’s Law” in Ontario have helped make individuals with lifethreatening allergies safer, but it’s important to be vigilant and remember that anaphylaxis has many causes.
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
With help from the Anaphylaxis
Canada website and newsletter, Allergic Living Magazine and group
meetings within the community,
Ms. Caskey has gained confidence
and knowledge about how to manage her son’s allergies and help
him manage them as he grows up.
“It was particularly lovely meeting
with parents of other children with
serious food allergies,” she says.
“Ben’s allergies are serious and
there can be challenges managing them. But we practice caution
and preparedness, and because
of that, he’s not hindered in the
way in which he lives his life. Ben’s
teachers and classmates have been
so supportive and sensitive in
trying to keep him safe – we hear
things like, ‘I had a peanut butter
sandwich for lunch at home, but
I thought of you and so I washed
my hands and brushed my teeth.’
We’re very grateful for the support
By the
numbers
“ So far, more than
100 different foods
have been found to
cause anaphylaxis,
but about 90 per
cent of food allergies are caused by
peanuts, tree nuts,
shellfish, milk, eggs,
fish, soy, sesame
seeds and wheat. ”
Dr. David Hummel,
Allergist , Toronto Sick Kids Hospital
that other people provide.”
But while growing awareness
and initiatives such as “Sabrina’s
Law” in Ontario have helped make
individuals with life-threatening
allergies safer, it’s important to
be vigilant and remember that
anaphylaxis has many causes, says
Dr. Hummel. “The focus tends to
be on peanut allergies, but Sabrina
Shannon, the 13-year-old girl the
law is named for, died of a reaction
to milk. There are many kinds of
food that can cause anaphylaxis.”
ONLINE?
For more information, visit
www.anaphylaxis.ca.
When food allergies
strike, will you
be prepared?
YOUTH
For allergic teens,
preparedness is key
eventeen-year-old Isaac
Eng has had severe allergies as long as he can
remember – his parents discovered that he was allergic to milk
and eggs when he was only a year
old. Though he grew out of those
allergies at around age six, he is
still severely allergic to peanuts.
But he’s philosophical. “When
you’re younger, your parents take
care of you. Now that I’m in grade
12, my friends know that I have an
allergy and they really look out
for me. I’ve grown up in a society
that has become increasingly
aware of peanut allergies, and I
think it’s made it much easier for
my generation. Although there is
increased awareness, I still always
read food ingredient labels to
make sure my food is safe and ask
restaurant staff what meals would
be okay for me.”
Mr. Eng also has a positive,
proactive approach to keeping
himself safe. “It’s a matter of
survival. There is a screening process: I don’t eat anything unless I
know where it’s from and what’s
in it, and I carry one EpiPen [an
auto-injector that provides a
life-saving dose of adrenaline if
an anaphylactic reaction occurs]
in my pocket and another in my
bag. It’s not a big issue, especially
when it can save my life. That’s
just how it is.”
But teenagers in general are at
higher risk for anaphylaxis, for
the same reasons that they are at
higher risk for accidents. “Teens
are just prone to taking more risk
in general,” says Kyle Dine, youth
coordinator for Anaphylaxis Canada. “We’ve unfortunately seen
fatalities in this age group, but it’s
important to remember that these
incidents are rare and preventable
as long as teens always carry their
auto-injector with them and do
not take risks with foods.”
Teens are hard-wired to act
on impulse and there are social
pressures, he says. “They want to
1.3 million
Estimated
number of
Canadians
who have a
food allergy
5 to 6
Isaac Eng carries one EpiPen in his
pocket and another in his bag. “It’s
not a big issue, especially when it
can save my life.” PHOTO: SUPPLIED
fit in, so they may avoid anything
that makes them stand out, like
carrying an auto-injector on their
belt or asking about ingredients
when they go out to a restaurant
with friends. They may not know
the risks – it’s important to know
how to stay safe in all situations,
nt
whether it’s reading an ingredient
list or kissing someone.”
Anaphylaxis Canada has created resources specifically for
this age group, including videos
by teens for teens, to help them
manage situations such as dating,
dining out and travelling. “We also
have a website, www.whyriskit.ca,
that helps teens connect and learn
from each other,” says Mr. Dine.
“We have a reaction registry, so
teens can help each other prevent
reactions by sharing experiences
such as, ‘I didn’t know I could
have a reaction caused by sharing
a drink with someone who had
peanuts at a party.”
Parents and teachers can play
an important role by reinforcing
risk management strategies, he
says. “This can be a really difficult
condition for teens to deal with
when they just want to fit in. It’s
important to work with them to
ensure they stay safe but are able
to have a normal teenage life.”
Percentage
of Canadian
children
estimated to
have food
allergies
1 to 2
Number of
minutes it can
take for a mild
allergic reaction
to escalate to
anaphylaxis
a
This report was produced by RandallAnthony Communications Inc. (www.randallanthony.com) in conjunction with the advertising
department of The Globe and Mail. Richard Deacon, National Business Development Manager, [email protected].
Severe Allergy Risk Test
Nearly 600,000 Canadians are at risk of a severe allergic reaction.
Are you one of them?
In the event of a severe
allergic reaction, every
second counts. However,
many people at risk of a
severe allergic reaction do
not carry an emergency
treatment, such as an
EpiPen® Auto-Injector. If
you’ve ever had a reaction,
even a mild one, to food
products or insect stings, it
could be a sign of dangers
to come. You can’t always
avoid your allergy triggers,
but you can be prepared.
To help determine your risk of a severe allergic reaction, check all the boxes
that apply to you.
I had a reaction shortly after exposure to even a small amount of:
Ì Peanuts
Ì Tree nuts
Ì Fish
Ì Shellfish
Ì Sesame
Ì Milk
Ì Insect stings
Ì Medications
It included the following symptoms:
Ì MOUTH: itching, swelling of the lips Ì GUT: vomiting, diarrhea, cramps
and/or tongue
Ì LUNG*: shortness of breath, cough,
Ì THROAT *: itching, tightness, closure,
wheeze
hoarseness
Ì HEART *: weak pulse, dizziness,
Ì SKIN: itching, hives, redness,
passing out (due to low blood
swelling
pressure)
*Some symptoms can be life threatening.
If you checked at least 1 box in each section, you could be at risk for
a severe allergic reaction.
Your risk is even higher if you:
Ì Have had a previous reaction
(even if mild)
Should you be carrying
an EpiPen® Auto-Injector?
Take the test now!
Ì Soya
Ì Egg
Ì Wheat
Ì Have asthma
Your reaction could be more severe if you:
Ì Have asthma
Ì Have cardiovascular problems
Take this test to your doctor to find out if you should be carrying
an EpiPen® Auto-Injector.
Additional
Resources:
EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr Auto-Injectors are indicated for the emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions in
patients who are determined to be at increased risk for anaphylaxis. After administration, patients should seek
medical attention immediately or go to the emergency room. For the next 48 hours, patients must stay within
close proximity to a healthcare facility or where they can call 911. To ensure this product is right for you, always
read and follow the label.
© 2011 Pfizer Canada Inc. Kirkland, Quebec H9J 2M5 • Toll free: 1-877-EPIPEN1
(1-877-374-7361) • EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr are registered trade-marks of
Mylan Inc. licensed exclusively to its wholly-owned subsidiary, Dey Pharma,
L.P. of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, USA and under license to Pfizer Canada Inc.