Narrator:
Two-year old Giovanne Guerrier is one of millions of Americans at risk for having a life-threatening allergic reaction or anaphylaxis…
Karen DeMuth, MD Pediatric Allergist:
Anaphylaxis is the severe allergic reaction you can have after exposure to a wide variety of things, foods, drugs, stinging insects…
Narrator:
Giovanne is sensitive to a variety of common foods like milk and wheat…
Cynthai Guerrier Giovanne's mom:
Everything I gave her seem to just…she was allergic to…
Narrator:
Symptoms can develop rapidly, often within minutes or even seconds…
Karen DeMuth, MD Pediatric Allergist:
It can affect multiple systems, including the skin--hives…you can have breathing issues, coughing wheezing shortness of breath…
gastrointestinal issues, persistent vomiting or diarrhea and it also affects the blood pressure.
Narrator:
Giovanne's mom, Cynthai still shutters at the memory of her toddler's reaction to pizza crust…
Cynthai Guerrier Giovanne's mom:
We had to call the ambulance and we had to make sure she was breathing because her whole face her tongue, everything swell up…
Karen DeMuth, MD Pediatric Allergist:
When you have food allergy the most likely time you're going to have a reaction, or what we call inadvertent exposure, is when you're eating out.
Narrator:
These days, Cynthai is prepared…Her daughter has been evaluated by a qualified allergist and she has become educated about the foods her daughter comes into contact with…
Karen DeMuth, MD Pediatric Allergist:
So the key to staying safe if you have one of these severe, life-threatening reactions is avoidance. Specifically for food allergy, it's key that you read labels.
Cynthai Guerrier Giovanne's mom:
Choose one?
Narrator:
Cynthai is now in the habit of informing others of Giovanne's condition, like wait staff at restaurants for example, and has also been trained about what to do should another emergency occur…
Cynthai Guerrier, Giovanne's Mom:
I have it in every bag that I carry…every purse that I own, her bag there's one in…
Narrator:
She's talking about having ready-prepared injectors--or pens as they're sometimes called-containing the most effective known treatment for anaphylaxis…
Karen DeMuth, MD Pediatric Allergist:
Adrenaline or epinephrine as we call it, is the gold standard for treatment…
Narrator:
Epinephrine, or adrenaline, is a hormone that revs up our metabolism. The body makes it naturally and releases it when we're under stress…
but the substance is also produced artificially as an antidote for anaphylaxis.
Karen DeMuth, MD Pediatric Allergist:
You want to hold the epinephrine pen in your dominant hand--I'm right-handed…
You want to make sure that your fingers are nowhere near where the needle comes out……
With this particular model you're going to want to hold it at 90 degrees, jerk back and jab it in …
Narrator:
People prone to an anaphylaxis reaction should never leave home without an epinephrine injector…and should learn from a qualified medical professional how and when to use it properly…
Karen DeMuth, MD Pediatric Allergist:
There's no other alternative…you can't wait for the EMS who might take 20 minutes to get there.
Narrator:
For WebMD, I'm Damon Meharg.
