14 - Sunday, August 8, 1999 — North Shore News north shore news }{EALTH Devon Hanley Contributing Writer THEY had been wait- ing three hours in Emergency. Someone in the waiting area thought it would be nice to reward five year-old Jennifer Whitby’s patience with some candies. “I saw her pop the candies in her mouth and made her spit them out immediately, but it was too late,” explained Jennifer’s mother, Karen. Within minutes Jenniter was in the throes of a severe allergic reaction to peanuts — her eyes and nose began t- stream, she began to shake and her swelling chroar was making it difficult to breathe. Hospital emergency staff responded quickly, holding the struggling child down as they administered cpineph- rine; within minutes her symp- toms had been reversed. Jennifer had experienced the quick and deadly onset of anaphylaxis. A confirmed 1% of all Canadian children have aller- gies severe enough to bring on an anaphylactic reaction, and recent studies indicate that the number of allergens causing anaphylaxis is grow- ing. Anaphylaxis is a life-threat- ening, severe allergic reaction which can develop within sec- onds of exposure to an aller- gen. It may begin with itch- ing, hives or swelling of the lips or face; within moments, the throat may begin to close, choking off breathing and leading to death. Given this terrifying sce- nario, it is entirely under- standable that parents of ‘severely allergic children entering the school system are extremely anxious. Preventative Nursing Consultant for the North Shore Health Region’s Community Services, Donna Halloran says, “For these parents, it is an emotionally charged eaperience. They nced to know there is a plan in place, and that the school environment will be as safe as possible for their chil- en. North Shore resident, Karen Whitby agrees, “When Jennifer started kindergarten, my biggest fear was her classmate’s birth- days, when parents would bring cakes and cookies to school. I would be a nervous wreck worrying if they would remember that there was somcone with a peanut allergy in the class!” Peanuts are the most common allergen causing anaphylaxis in school-aged children. A severe peanut allergy is especially prob- lematic since peanuts and peanut oil are used in a vast range of food and household products. For those with severe allergies, exposure to even a minute trace of peanut or peanut oil can bring on anaphylaxis. Other foods which can trigger anaphylac- fic reactions include tree nuts, cow’s milk, eggs, fish and shell- The good news is that with awareness, preparation and plan- ning, anaphylactic children can and do lead normal lives. When North Vancouver teacher Maryanna Shields found out she would have Jennifer Whitby in her 1998/99 kindergarten class, she didn’t panic. It wouldn’t be her first student with a serious food allergy. - “a ae ae NEWS photo Paul McGrath JENNIFER Whitby dare not open this jar of peanut butter. Her medic alert bracelet warns of anaphylactic shock due to severe allergic reaction. Shields explains, “The school’s community health nurse, Linda Buchanan, informed me Jennifer would be in my class, and together we followed through on a plan for managing the situation. We explained the circumstances to her classmates, then asked them to take a letter home to their parents, explaining why their lunches and snacks would need to be completely peanut- free during, the school year.” The parents unanimously supported the “no peanut” request, which, according to Buchanan, is usually the case when such requests are made. “The plan for handling a student with a severe food allergy depends on the type of allergy, and the age and ability of the stu- dent to'manage the allergy,” says Buchanan. “Most severely allergic children will have an EpiPen kit (epinephrine adminis- tered by a syringe) with them at school, while the school keeps a back up Epifen at ail times. We also strongly advise parents that their children should be wearing a MedicAlert bracelet when they start school.” Dr. Alexander Ferguson, Professor of Pediatrics and head of the Allergy Clinic at B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver notes, “With awareness and the necessary precautions, death See Ask page 19 Now you get 5 days of fun and magic at Disneyland. Pals in Southern information available THE Internet offers a wealth of information on food allergies and anaphylaxis. Several excellent and easy to read books are listed on the AAIA Web page under Books on Food Allergy/Anaphylaxis/As thma. Anaphylaxis: A Handbook for School Boards is available by sending $10 to The Canadian School Board Association at 130 Slater St. Suite 350, Ortawa Ont. KIP 6E2, Tel (613) 235-3724 or Fax (613) 238-8434, The AAJA B.C. & Yukon e-mail address is , or you may call 1-800-611- 7011 or in BC, (250) 861-6590. The Anaphylaxis Network of Canada can be reached by phone at, (416) 243-7733, or by e-mail at . MedicAlert Services and Membership MedicAlert services include a lifetime mem- bership, the comprehen- sive protection of a bracelet or necklet cus- tom engraved with a person’s medical condi- tion, member ID num- ber and a 24-hour emer- gency hotline number —— available in 140 lan- guages, anywhere in the world. MedicAlert has a spe- cial fund for Canadians who cannot afford membership. 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