How to assist someone suffering from Anaphylaxis or Allergies

Allergies to certain foods, medicines and insect stings seem to be more common these days.

Some people only have a very mild reaction if they come in contact with something they are allergic to, like peanuts, eggs or so on.

But some other people can have a very severe, life-threatening reaction to an allergen. This is called Anaphylaxis. It can cause the person to have severe difficulty breathing, skin reactions and dramatically altered heart rhythms.

If someone with a severe allergy like this eats the wrong food, takes the wrong medicine or is stung by an insect they can literally die in just a few minutes.

Obviously it would helps to know what to do to save their life.

Luckily most people these days who do have a severe allergy tend to know about it. They should be aware enough to tell you when they think they are having an allergic reaction. But sometimes they don’t know themselves or they are unaware that they have eaten something or been stung by something.

Recognising the symptoms of allergic reactions

It pays to know what the symptons of an allergic reaction are and what to do about it because you could save a life. It might even be the life of someone you know.

The most immediate symptoms of an allergic reaction will usually include the person saying their lips, tongue or throat are “tingling” or swelling. Then they may start to have difficulty breathing as their airways narrow. They can very quickly become dizzy or get hives, welts, an itchy red rash or other skin reactions.

It's important to know that the person can go very quickly from having these initial symptoms to passing out or going floppy, especially if they are a young child.

Emergency treatment with adrenaline auto-injectors

Today, many people who suffer from severe allergies will tend to carry an adrenaline auto-injector such as an Epipen or Anapen. These provide an immediate shot of adrenaline to help the body fight back against the effects of the allergic reaction.

If you suspect someone is having a severe allergic reaction and is going into anaphylactic shock, quickly ask if they have an Epipen or Anapen.

If they do, help them get it and administer it. (If they pass out before they can use it themselves, just follow the simple 3-step instructions which are printed on the side of the pen.) It's important you administer it quickly, it can be a matter of life and death.

As soon as you suspect the person having the allergic reaction is suffering something severe, you or someone else should dial 000 and ask for an ambulance. Tell the operator it’s an anaphylactic shock case. Record what they ate or swallowed, or which insect may have stung them if they can tell you or it is known.

If after 5 minutes the person's allergic symptoms have NOT subsided due to the Epipen or Anapen give them another shot if they have a second pen handy.

Handling milder allergic reactions

If the person is only having a milder allergic reaction, first get them to sit down, relax and start breathing slowly and calmly.

Remove the source of the allergen if you can.

If you think it’s something they’ve eaten, get them to quickly rinse out their mouth with several mouthfuls of water to help remove any traces left in their mouth. They must spit out the water, not swallow it.

If it’s an insect sting, check to see if any part of the sting remains and remove it by flicking it out to the side with your fingernail or the edge of a credit card. (Never use tweezers to pull a sting straight out as squeezing it can inject more venom into the skin.)

If you have any antihistamines with you, such as Zyrtec, Telfast or Claratyne, get the person to take one as this can slow down the body’s reaction.

Always stay with the person, helping to keep them calm and monitor them very closely. If their symptoms start to get worse and you haven't already done so, call for an ambulance. If they continue to deteriorate or they stop breathing, immediately apply CPR.

With allergies among young children so common these days, it's important you stay alert for them. You most important job is to keep them calm and stay with them throughout any allergic reaction as any panic will only make their symptoms worse.

If you want to know about helping people with allergies, you can always do a first aid course. We have specialist courses that cover Anaphylaxis and Allergies. You can book at https://www.resultsfirstaid.com/courses