Parents Told to Look Out For Three ‘Life-Threatening’ Symptoms Around Easter

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From hot cross buns to chocolate eggs and special Sunday roasts, for many families the food is a major highlight of Easter celebrations. However, this can quickly turn into a deadly endeavour for some as one nurse pointed out.

Milk, one of the most common ingredients in Easter egg hunts, is also one of the most common food allergies among babies and toddlers in the UK. The thousands of children with egg, nut and wheat allergies may be facing similar problems this Easter.

Hannah Kramer, a clinical nurse specialist at the Allergy Centre of Excellence, urged parents to learn the warning signs, and differences, between anaphylaxis and an allergic reaction. One of which can quickly become life-threatening with an ‘impending sense of doom’ while the other can escalate over a matter of hours.

The expert shared: “When someone has an immediate food allergy, the reaction typically begins within seconds or minutes of exposure to the food, and within a two-hour window from there. These symptoms would be treated with a dose of antihistamine.”

A mild or ‘typical’ allergic reaction that is usually treated with antihistamines may include symptoms like:

• Itching in or around the mouth
• Facial swelling
• Sneezing or suddenly runny nose
• Skin rashes
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Itchy hives appearing

According to the NHS, anaphylaxis is a ‘life-threatening allergic reaction’ that can develop within minutes of coming into contact with the item you’re allergic too. Cases of typical allergic reactions may also progress into anaphylaxis.

Hannah said: “Many people think that anaphylaxis is dramatic and obvious, which of course it can be, but not always. Interestingly, people having anaphylaxis often describe ‘an impending sense of doom’, a sense of panic and fear in response to their physical bodily symptoms.