Fatal Reaction

[twinturbo]

I would have thought there more similar opinion on use of epinephrine amongst American and Canadian allergists. One of the sessions at the upcoming APCAACI conference is anaphylaxis management in China, IIRC. DH and I are discussing which plenaries (sp? I don't even know what it really is w/o googling) and symposiums to attend for the three days, I'm curious to see if they toe the party line for USA sources, Canadian, UK, other, their own.

For anyone out there wondering why attend a conference so far away it's about 3 km from where our family lives he was going there anyhow.

[LinksEtc]

When to administer epinephrine to a child having a potential anaphylactic episode in school

http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/when-administer-epinephrine.aspx

[my3guys]

Thank you LinksEtc, I found your link very helpful.

[Macabre]

Oh Links--thanks!!

[LinksEtc]

You're welcome my3guys & Macabre.

I stumbled across this related one when searching another topic ...

http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/when-epinephrine-injection.aspx

Many practitioners in our area instruct patients that if there are no symptoms, the patient should receive diphenhydramine and be monitored closely. However, a teenager died in our area recently after eating a peanut, and she initially had no symptoms

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There is no "official recommendation" regarding the issue you present

Personally, if the situation occurs in the school, I usually will suggest administration of epinephrine immediately, regardless of whether or not any manifestations are present.

this is a philosophical decision and varies amongst allergists

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Any other info I come across, I will probably just start a new thread ... I feel so bad for the family and don't want to keep raising this one.

[Macabre]

I've wondered about pulling out the most recent stuff into a new thread. Or even the initial blog that we talked about and all those comments specific to doctor recs about administering epinephrine.

[LinksEtc]

Whatever you all think is best is fine with me.

[Macabre]

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/18/6335644/family-of-girl-who-died-from-peanut.html

Family sues city after girl's peanut-allergy death at Camp Sacramento
"Obviously it's something we find no joy in pursuing," Louis Giorgi said of the lawsuit, "but it is consistent with our approach to accomplish the goal to help raise awareness of people, to pay attention to this and know it can be fatal. We need to take simple steps to protect all of our children. There can never be another Natalie. And there should never be another Natalie. It can be prevented."

Natalie Giorgi went into anaphylactic shock July 26 after eating a Rice Krispies Treat during a hula hoop contest on her family's last night of a four-day vacation at the popular, city-owned Camp Sacramento facility near Lake Tahoe that has been visited by thousands of families since it opened in the 1930s.

According to the lawsuit, the snack contained peanut butter that had been mixed into a marshmallow filling "in such a way as to be visually undetectable" and also "difficult or impossible to determine that the treat contained peanut butter by taste."

During an interview in the office of their attorney, Roger A. Dreyer, the Giorgis said that their daughter had been diagnosed with the peanut allergy at age 3 when she had a mild reaction to either hazelwood or macadamia nuts. They said that since the diagnosis, she never again displayed any symptoms of the allergy until the night she died.

[daisy madness]

What do you all think about this lawsuit?  I guess because DS has several allergies, and therefore I would never just assume a food is safe by it's appearance, I'm not sure that I see the city's responsibility in this.  If other peanut containing foods were labeled and this particular one wasn't, I could see fault there.  Or perhaps they asked a staff member about the foods and were given erroneous information. 

I'm so sorry for this family's loss. I read about it when it happened.  All FA deaths are tragic, but Natalie's death is particularly terrifying because the family did everything right.  After learning of her death, if DS has a known ingestion of peanut, I may epi before symptoms. 

I know someone whose young son had an anaphylactic reaction recently.  It was his first reaction although they were aware of the allergy because he reacted to his mother's breast milk.  They called the doctor when the hives started and the symptoms progressed while they were on the phone.  The doctor said "do not give Benadryl.  It's associated with death."  When they went in for their follow-up a few days later, the doctor brought up Natalie's story. 

I hope my post isn't insensitive.  I don't mean it as a criticism of the family. 

[lakeswimr]

I feel sick thinking about this.  It was a tragic event. 

I don't feel I can comment on their law suit. I don't know the details of what happened.  If the camp prepared that food that would be very different than if another family prepared that food.

I am surprised to read that she had not had any allergic symptoms since age three.  Many people in that situation get lax with things like xcontam and etc and think their child is not that sensitive.  I have many friends like that. I always hope they are right and that their child really isn't that sensitive but this shows that even in cases like that where a person doesn't get minor reactions they can still be extremely allergic.   

[maeve]

I'm so sorry for this family's loss. I read about it when it happened.  All FA deaths are tragic, but Natalie's death is particularly terrifying because the family did everything right.  After learning of her death, if DS has a known ingestion of peanut, I may epi before symptoms. 

I believe I read in one of the initial news reports that Natalie had inquired about whether there were peanuts in the treat.