How to Know If It's Really an Allergic Reaction

One of the many scary and confusing things about dealing with severe allergies is that it can present differently each time. When you think of an allergic reaction, most of us picture hives and itchy skin, right? At least I did when my daughter was diagnosed eight years ago. But there are other symptoms of a SEVERE allergic reaction that can be way harder to recognize.

It's true that some anaphylactic reactions include hives and itching, but there are so many other serious symptoms that indicate we could be in for big allergy trouble. In order for me to know if my daughter is having an anaphylactic reaction, here are the symptoms I have to look for:

• Mouth: itching, swelling of the lips and/or tongue
• Throat*: itching, tightness, closure, hoarseness
• Skin: itching, hives, redness, swelling
• Gut: vomiting, diarrhea, cramps
• Lung*: shortness of breath, cough, wheeze
• Heart*: weak pulse, dizziness, passing out (due to low blood pressure)

*Any delay in recognizing the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can result in a fatal outcome.

Here's the problem. On their own, many of these symptoms don't appear to be life-threatening. While a reaction may initially seem to be minor, the severity can suddenly increase and become life-threatening. But you never really know what you're in for. This is what makes it terrifying when trying to react appropriately. Also, no two reactions are necessarily the same. One time my daughter may start vomiting because she has ingested an allergen, another time she gets a few hives on her face. How am I supposed to react properly when you never know exactly what you're dealing with?

The first thought that races through my mind when my daughter tells me she doesn't feel well is, "Oh My God! What does this mean? Is she coming down with the flu or is she having a reaction to something she ate?" 

For the next little while we watch to see if there are any symptoms specific to having an anaphylactic reaction. If we see some symptoms which MAY indicate a reaction, that's when we start panicking and wonder, "WHEN DO WE ADMINISTER AN EPIPEN?" 

I met up with well-known allergist Dr. Susan Waserman, the President of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, at a roundtable about allergies, and asked her opinion as to when to administer an EpiPen. 

She recommends that when it doubt, use an EpiPen! In the event of an allergic emergency, every second counts. I need to always have easy access to an EpiPen and be sure to use it at the first signs of an allergic reaction.

A few other interesting pieces of information I've picked at the Allergy Roundtable:

• Always call 911 and get your child (or the adult) to the hospital immediately after giving them an EpiPen for proper medical care.
• Most reactions happen within a few minutes, but some can occur a few hours after exposure!!
• Speaking of exposure, keep your EpiPen at room temperature. Epinephrine can be damaged by heat and cold. Never store your EpiPen in the car or the fridge. Who knew?
• Always carry more than one EpiPen. And make sure they aren't expired. I just signed up at EpiPen.ca for their Expiration Service to get an email reminder.

I will do whatever I have to in order to keep my daughter safe. If you have kids or know someone with severe allergies, I know you feel the same way too.