Frequently asked questions:

In case of an emergency, can | use someone else’s EpiPen to helo
another person who is suffering from anaphylaxis?

There is some confusion about the nature of prescribed EpiPens. With
most medications, doses are measured out for an individual’s needs.
This is not true of EpiPens, however, and if the victim does not have an
EpiPen or needs another dose, using someone else’s EpiPen could save
their life.

Can | administer the EpiPen through someone’s clothing?

Yes you can, and please do! You will lose time fussing around trying
to get someone’s pants off before using the EpiPen, and it’s entirely
unnecessary. The EpiPen will work through cotton, denim, polyester,
what have you. Short of wearing plate armour and chainmail, it’s
unlikely that the victim will be wearing something sturdy enough to
block the needle.

Does someone with a severe food allergy need to ingest the allergen
to have a reaction?

Not necessarily. Some allergens can affect the victim by touch, or by
airborne properties. Peanuts especially are notorious for causing
airborne reactions; it’s rare that they will cause full-blown anaphylaxis,
but it can cause milder symptoms such as wheezing, hives, and
discomfort. As well, for those with anxieties tied to their allergies, the
smell can cause anxiety and panic attacks.

If | cook the allergen, will it neutralize the proteins that cause the
reaction?

| once had someone tell me that roasted peanuts should be safe for
me because they're cooked. It seems like a stupid question, but there
are some allergens that only cause reactions when they’re raw (for
example, | can eat celery and carrots if they’re cooked, but not if
they’re raw). Ultimately, you should ask the person in question if you’re

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About 2 in every 100 children in Canada have

peanut allergies.

Food allergies are becoming increasingly common.
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EpiPens can pose a risk for people with
pre-existing heart conditions; however, in
cases of emergency, it is still better to use
one than to risk not using one.

Many people with allergies will
wear a Medic Alert bracelet or
necklace. If you come across
someone who is in distress and
unable to speak and you are
unsure as to why, check if they’re
wearing one! It will tell you the
nature of their condition and how
best to help them.

 

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concerned, but the safest bet is to assume the allergen is dangerous
to them either way, and to avoid using it if you know the allergic person
is going to be present.

Can allergic people eat food items with a “may contain’ label?

This really depends on the person and the item in question. A “may
contain” label is often incredibly vague; it’s mostly there to protect the
company in question from liability if equipment isn’t cleaned correctly
or a mix-up in products occur, and someone has an allergic reaction as
a result. It could mean anything from “the factory where this product

is made does not have a peanut-free policy” to “there were peanut
products directly on the equigpment used to make this food item.” For
some allergic people, even minute traces of an allergen can cause

a severe reaction. Despite having a severe allergy, |’ve never had a
problem with items that have a “may contain” label. However, | tend to
avoid products with other nuts in them, because the likelihood of a mix-
up or cross-contamination is much higher than products where nuts
are not involved at all.

Can you grow out of a food allergy?

Yes, you can! Allergies in general are more prevalent in children than
they are in adults. | used to be allergic to wheat as a child, and | was
far more allergic to egg yolks than | am now. Unfortunately, some
allergies only get more severe the older the person gets, and it is
possible to develop food allergies later on in life. A friend of mine didn’t
develop her severe shellfish allergy until her early thirties. It isn’t clear
why this happens, but it’s theorized that changes in hormone balances
can cause allergies to crop up.

| don’t believe allergies are real, and | think kids are just too gosh-
darn sensitive these days.

Yes, I’ve heard this said. As someone who has spent eight hours on

a steroid drip after taking two epinephrine shots to both legs, | can
attest that they’re very real, and they suck. If that’s not enough, I’m
sure there’s about a million doctors out there to back me up. If that’s
not enough, you're an asshole, and | really can't help you.

   

 

 

 

 

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