My whole life, I have been allergic to peanuts, and there have been many incidents where I have had to spend the night in emergency. If there was something I could do about this issue, it would be to let more people know why they should be conscious of those with a peanut/nut allergy. Here are some basic questions and answers about peanut allergies that may let you know more about their severity:
How is it deadly?
Life-threatening food allergies (most commonly peanuts) can kill children in two ways. The first is called laryngospasm. As the food is swallowed, it produces immediate swelling that spreads to the vocal cords. If the vocal cords swell shut, the child is unable to breathe and dies with terrifying speed. The second mechanism is called anaphylactic shock. The child swallows and digests the food and, as long as two hours later, goes into shock and dies.
How long does it last?
Children with life-threatening food allergies do not usually grow out of them. Without treatment, they are considered lifelong conditions.
How is it triggered?
Peanut allergies can either be triggered by airborne means (smelling peanuts), touching surfaces or people who have contacted peanuts (shaking hands with someone eating roasted peanuts), or through direct indigestion (eating a peanut or a something that contains one).
How is it prevented/treated?
To absolutely avoid peanuts throughout your lifetime is the core way of prevention. No matter how careful you are, it is almost inevitable that it will not happen. You must be prepared to deal with the emergency when it happens. However, in this case, we have an injection by the name of an Epi Pen. It is designed for self-administration of epinephrine in acute allergic emergencies (such as anaphylaxis). It provides a rapid, convenient dose of epinephrine for individuals needing protection from potentially fatal allergic reactions.
Maybe now you might know more about peanut allergies. Hopefully, in the future you can do the little things like ask if there is anyone with an allergy in the room before eating peanuts to save them from a reaction.
