Big eye-popping news was released yesterday from my beloved Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) (remember, I am biased since my local support group received our initial guidance from these folks) in their study, “Anaphylaxis in America: The Prevalence and Characteristics of Anaphylaxis in the United States”. I say eye-popping since the word is officially out: it is estimated that nearly 1 in 50 Americans have severe life threatening anaphylaxis and those numbers truly could be closer to 1 in 20. This is HUGE news for us parents of children with life threatening allergies or anaphylaxis. Side bar: life threatening food allergies is the disease but anaphylaxis is what takes place when a person is exposed to their allergen. Also, AAFA released a great video too (see below).
image courtesy of the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America
We need credibility that this disease is in fact growing and is much more prevalent than previously believed so that we can motivate schools, friends, family and colleagues to join us in keeping our folks with life threatening allergies or anaphyalxis safe. How many times have you heard, “well, it’s her first child and I think she is over reacting”? During a recent flight I overheard three teachers talking about food allergies and was saddened to hear them say they thought the parents were over reacting and it just “can’t be that serious”. Somehow the words serious life threatening food allergies are not sinking in? I think some the most important points discussed in AAFA’s Press Release yesterday were…
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- Anaphylaxis is common.
- Patients are not fully equipped to handle an anaphylactic emergency.
- The Urgent need to educate the pubic exists.
- Patients were alarmingly “inactive”-they didn’t have prescriptions for life saving epinephrine auto-injectors, didn’t keep the auto-injectors close by and did not use them when needed.
- Very few patients called 911 during a reaction.
- AAFA is urging more public initiatives.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net
I was inspired to see that not only did AAFA publish this article yesterday, which gently told America to wake up; AAFA provided solutions. The video below features Heidi Bayer, who I adore on a normal day and now love her more for her good with Kids with Food Allergies-a Division of AAFA! BRAVO Heidi–you made us all proud! In addition to this video, Kids with Food Allergie created the downloadable handout, “Children with Food Allergies: What Parents Need to Know”. I found this handout to be short, brief, clear and full of precise life saving advice.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
As a person who has suffered anaphylaxis I appreciate all that you do and all the information you share. The number is eye popping for sure. I plan on sharing this on my blog very soon.
Kathryn, I’m just sad that you have suffered anaphylaxis. What an awful disease. I’m soooo ready for a cure.
Study’s conclusion: ‘The prevalence of anaphylaxis in the general population is at least 1.6% and probably higher. Patients do not appear adequately equipped to deal with future episodes, indicating the need for public health initiatives to improve anaphylaxis recognition and treatment.’ I agree with the conclusion & have found that while adults can choose to treat their symptoms however they want, many are parents and have other loved ones in their lives. Their treatment decisions will impact & affect others, regardless of the outcome.