What Is Anaphylaxis

If you have a food allergy, there is a chance that you may
experience a severe form of allergic reaction known as
anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis may begin suddenly and may lead
to death if not immediately treated.
Anaphylaxis includes a wide range of symptoms that can occur
in many combinations. Some symptoms are not life-threatening,
but the most severe restrict breathing and blood circulation.
Many different parts of your body can be affected.



• Skin—itching, hives, redness, swelling
• Nose—sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose
• Mouth—itching, swelling of lips or tongue
• Throat—itching, tightness, diffculty swallowing, hoarseness
• Chest—shortness of breath, cough, wheeze, chest pain, tightness
• Heart—weak pulse, passing out, shock
• GI tract—vomiting, diarrhea, cramps
• Nervous system—dizziness or fainting


Symptoms may begin within several minutes to several hours
after exposure to the food. Sometimes the symptoms go away,
only to return 2 to 4 hours later or even as many as 8 hours
later. When you begin to experience symptoms, you must seek
immediate medical attention because anaphylaxis can be life-
threatening.


Anaphylaxis caused by an allergic reaction to a certain food is
highly unpredictable. The severity of a given attack does not
predict the severity of subsequent attacks. The response will
vary depending on several factors, such as


• Your sensitivity to the food
• How much of the food you are exposed to
• How the food enters your body


Any anaphylactic reaction may become dangerous and must be
evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Food allergy is the leading cause of anaphylaxis. However,
medications, insect stings, and latex can also cause an allergic
reaction that leads to anaphylaxis.




Common Food Allergies in Infants, Children, and Adults

In infants and children, the most common foods
that cause allergic reactions are

• Egg
• Milk
• Peanut
• Tree nuts such as walnuts
• Soy (primarily in infants)
• Wheat

In adults, the most common foods that cause
allergic reactions are
• Shellfsh such as shrimp, crayfsh, lobster,
and crab



• Peanut
• Tree nuts
• Fish such as salmon


Food allergies generally develop early in life but can develop at
any age. For example, milk allergy tends to develop early in life,
whereas shrimp allergy generally develops later in life.
Children usually outgrow their egg, milk, and soy allergies,
but people who develop allergies as adults usually have their
allergies for life. Children generally do not outgrow their
allergy to peanut

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