Severe reaction is a terrifying ordeal for parents, and it happens so easily

When an allergic reaction kicks in and young children suddenly start fighting for breath, it can also be a terrifying ordeal for parents.

Severe reactions to foods are becoming more common.

Jean Luc has two sons, four and seven; both have a severe allergic reaction to nuts.

“It all started with my oldest son ate pistachio nuts and had a reaction,” he said. “Then when my second son came along, he was three when he ate a tiny cashew nut and ended up in hospital.

“It was frightening because it changes the face of the child. They had white dots on their face and their throats were tightening, so it was harder for them to breathe.”

Tragedy was averted because the boy was taken to hospital but that made the family change its approach to food.

“The response time is critical and the child is smart enough to know what is happening. Now these reactions are rare because we live in fear, so we are very careful. All of the contingency plans are in place.

“We tell the children to eat only the food we give them and their school is doing a great job in educating other parents and creating nutfree zones in the school.

“The school has an EpiPen, an adrenaline injector, so it is prepared if anything happens.

“I even drop my kids off at school so there is no chance of them swapping their food with other children – you have to think of all eventualities and live with it.”

EpiPens must be stored at room temperature and have a shelf life of about 12 months. They are usually covered by health insurance, otherwise they would cost about Dh350.

Most schools now carry these in the event a child has an adverse reaction. Staff are trained in how to use them.

“I realised my son had a nut allergy when he was six, after he had an ice-cream,” another parent said. “He had had a slight cough and swelling before but we didn’t think it was an allergic reaction. When he had the ice-cream, we had no idea it contained nuts. It was only afterwards when we checked the ingredients.

“He had stomach pain and was vomiting, so we took him to the doctor. My son knows now to check his food and will remind his teachers when he is on trips. If he goes bowling with his friends and they are eating nuts, he can have a bad reaction simply by touching the bowling ball.

“Parents don’t seem to understand how easily it can happen and many don’t appreciate how serious it can be. It is not pleasant to watch someone going through that, when they can’t breathe, it is severe and can be fatal.”