Written by My Dad
Peanut allergy is a food
allergy. It is separate from other tree nut allergies, but
sometimes people who are allergic to one are also allergic to the
other. A peanut allergy is an extreme sensitivity to peanuts
causing the immune system (the part of your body that fights disease) to
overreact leading to severe physical symptoms.
About 1 out of every 100
kids have peanut allergies, but it does seem to be effecting more
children every year. Some people have a mild reaction where their
skin breaks out in hives, but others have a serious reaction resulting
in a medical condition called anaphylaxis, which requires emergency
medical treatment right away. When someone has this severe
reaction, it is possible for their airway to close making it difficult
or impossible to breath, which can lead to death.
People with this severe
peanut allergy often carry an Epi-pen with them. It is a special
device that injects a medicine called epinephrine into the person's leg
muscle, which gives the person time to get to an emergency room for more
medical treatment.
