Anaphylaxis in Babies & Young Children

There are few things as scary as anaphylaxis, especially when you’re caring for a baby or young child. This is why it’s so important to know what to watch for.

Food Allergy Canada has an excellent, easy-to-understand infographic that shows the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, including how it can look in babies (hives, voice change, drooling, vomiting, irritability) and young children (may complain of an itchy, spicy, or funny-feeling tongue or mouth). It’s a great resource for parents, caregivers, and educators.

One key takeaway: anaphylaxis must always be treated right away with EPINEPHRINE. Epinephrine is life-saving and very safe. If you think a child may be having an anaphylactic reaction, don’t hesitate — using epinephrine quickly can save a child’s life.

See my blog post on how to treat anaphylaxis (hint: give epinephrine right away)

Food Allergy Canada also has a helpful infographic that shows how to use an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen®) step by step:👉 https://foodallergycanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/Epinephrine-sheet-resource.pdf

It’s also important to know what not to do. Do not wait for symptoms to get worse, and do not rely on antihistamines like Benadryl®. Antihistamines can help with hives only, but they do not stop dangerous symptoms of anaphylaxis such as breathing trouble or low blood pressure.

When it comes to anaphylaxis: epinephrine first, every time.