13 Unexpected Symptoms Of Anaphylaxis In Babies
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Does your child suffer from food allergies? Has your baby ever experienced an anaphylactic shock? Seeing a child with anaphylaxis can be a scary experience for any parent. While you can’t always control your baby’s allergic reactions, you can certainly be more prepared to deal with the situation. Continue reading our post here and learn more about anaphylaxis in babies.
What Is Anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a type of allergic reaction, which can be fatal without immediate medical attention. The immune system’s reaction to an allergen can cause many different symptoms including breathing difficulties. Allergens are substances that can produce adverse reactions in some people and cause the immune system to attack it. These reactions by the immune system can be mild or severe. Anaphylaxis is the severest reaction to an allergen and can occur in people of all age groups including infants. Anaphylaxis affects an infant’s breathing [1].
Risks and Causes Of Anaphylaxis In Babies:
Generally, the risk of anaphylaxis in babies is low. Babies who suffer from Asthma are more prone to contracting anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can also occur due to unknown triggers.
- For babies on a solid food diet, the cause of anaphylaxis can be food products such as eggs, wheat, peanuts, fish, milk, tree nuts, soya-bean, and crustaceans, like shellfish.
- Another risk of anaphylaxis for babies can be insect venom. Such venom can come from wasps, bees, fire ants, hornets and ticks.
- Some herbal preparations and medicines (penicillin) can also trigger anaphylaxis in infants [2].
[ Read: Home Remedies To Treat Insect Bites In Babies ]
Signs Of Anaphylaxis In Babies:
Symptoms of anaphylactic shock in babiescan include:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Sweating
- Cough
- Nasal congestion
- Wheezing
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Diarrhea
- Hives
- Itchy skin
- Rashes
- Slurred speech
- Swollen tongue
- Fluctuating pulse
[ Read: Symptoms Of Hives In Babies ]
Treating Anaphylaxis In Babies:
If your little one goes into an anaphylactic shock, don’t panic and take swift action.
- Call for emergency medical help and try to keep your child calm.
- If your child has suffered an anaphylactic shock previously, your baby’s doctor may have prescribed adrenaline (epinephrine) injections to be administered upon a reaction. Use the injection as prescribed.
- If your baby is cold, cover him with a blanket and gently massage his feet.
- If you suspect a food substance to be the trigger, do not force your child to vomit. Remove any bee stings you see on his body.
- If your baby stops breathing, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR on your child.
[ Read: How To Do CPR On A Baby ]
Medical Attention:
Paramedics or the doctor may perform CPR on your child if necessary. They may also give the child an epinephrine injection for immediate relief from anaphylaxis symptoms [3].
In serious cases of anaphylaxis, the medical team may use oxygen masks to help the patients breathe. Your child will need to spend a day or two in the hospital under observation in case the symptoms return. In such a case the doctor will give your child medicines such as cortisone or antihistamine via IV or injections.
[ Read: Asthma In Babies ]
Preventing Anaphylaxis In Babies:
Once your child suffers an anaphylactic shock, you have to be extra vigilant about keeping him away from allergy triggers. It means being extra careful about what he eats or keeping him away the insects that may bite.
- Make everyone at home including the caretakers are aware about your baby’s allergy triggers.
- Make sure there are no insect nests in the vicinity of his room. When the baby is alone in a room alone, make sure the windows are shut so that no wasps or bees can come indoors.
- Learn CPR for emergencies and if possible also teach the same to your baby’s caretaker. Teach your child’s caretaker in the nursery or at home about administering injections to him in case of he suffers from an anaphylactic shock.
Has your child ever had an anaphylactic shock? Does your child suffer from allergies? How do you handle your child’s allergy reactions? Please share your experiences with us.
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