An allergy is a rather common condition in which the immune system attacks of overreacts to a certain material or substance. Sometimes, it can even have a bad reaction to more than one thing.
Our immune system can recognize factors that might harm our body, such as germs or viruses. In turn, it reacts to them and tries to dispose of them.
The immune system often gets “confused” and reacts to a substance that is not a real threat to the body. Such a material is called an allergen.
There are many types of allergens, they can be:
Flower or dust pollens, various foods such as nuts, eggs or milk, various medications, insect bites of various chemicals such as makeup or cleaning detergents. Some are even rarer than others. For instance, some people might be allergic to water or even grass.
Allergies can manifest in many different ways and levels, for instance:
- Allergenic runny nose is often accompanied by a burning sensation in the eyes and sneezing.
- Skin manifestations such as rash, redness, itching and peeling.
- Itching in palate, inflammation of the lips, tongue, mouth and a red rash could be part of an allergic reaction to food.
- Vomiting or diarrhea.
- Swelling of the face.
- Anaphylaxis – an extreme allergic reaction that is life threatening.
Usually manifests in dizziness, a sharp decrease of blood pressure, difficulty breathing, rash on the skin and swelling of the respiratory ducts, which might lead to suffocation and loss of consciousness. This reaction develops fast and must quickly be medically taken care of.
It is important to stress that an allergic reaction can manifest in various symptoms and in different body parts simultaneously.
The best way to treat allergies is preventing them. If the cause of the allergy is known, you should avoid or minimize expose to it.
There are various medications that minimize or alleviate allergy symptoms.
In addition, there is an advanced treatment to allergies using a vaccination that lowers the sensitivity the patient is suffering from. The goal of the vaccination is to create a tolerance in the body towards the allergens, diminishing the patient’s sensitivity.
In extreme cases, when there is harsh and life-threatening reaction, we could use an EpiPen (epinephrine autoinjector).
EpiPen is an emergency treatment medication following a severe allergic response.
People who suffer from severe allergies should constantly carry it with them, in case of emergency.
It is recommended to instruct kids over the age of 12 on how to self-administer the syringe. This can be considered for younger ages, depending on the maturity of the child and doctor recommendations.
You should make sure that family members, daycare or schoolteachers and close friends are also informed on how to use the syringe.
- Extract the automatic syringe from the plastic case.
- Hold it in the palm of your hand with the orange side facing down and the blue side pointing up. Remember – orange like the ground, blue like the skies. You should not cover the edges of the syringe with your fingers as to not incidentally inject yourselves.
- Release the blue safety cap.
- Get the orange part of the syringe close to the middle area of the outside of the patient’s hip. It is recommended to hold their leg, so it doesn’t move while you inject them, as to prevent any injuries caused by the injection itself.
- Lift the syringe and place it onto the hip at a 900 angle, until you hear a ‘click’.
- Hold the syringe steady and right on the hip for about 10 seconds.
- Take out the syringe from the hip and massage the area for another 10 seconds to better spread the substance through the body.
- After the injection, make sure that the patient arrives at a hospital as soon as possible. make sure to inform the person treating them that an automatic EpiPen had been used and give them the used syringe.
Notice, it can also be injected through clothes.
When a child shows severe distress symptoms as a result of an allergy, for instance, difficulty breathing, swelling and edema in the face and neck, a sharp decline in blood pressure and dizziness, you must act fast!
- Call First Aid responders.
- Use an automatic EpiPen.
- Keep the airways clear until help arrives.
- If the kid is not breathing – perform CPR.
- Inform the First Responders – it is important to keep the medical team informed that the kid had received an automatic EpiPen injection and give them the used syringe.
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