Parents want nothing more than to make sure their children are happy, healthy, and loved — which is why it can be so scary when your little one doesn’t feel well. Brittany Mahomes, mom and food allergy advocate, knows that feeling all too well. Brittany and her husband Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, have two young children, Sterling and Bronze, who both have severe food allergies.
Brittany is sharing her family’s experience to raise awareness about the signs of an allergic reaction in young children and how parents and caregivers can be prepared to confidently respond should an allergic emergency occur.
Brittany’s Experience
“We first learned of Sterling’s food allergies after she was given formula for the first time. She was vomiting, sneezing, and had red eyes,” Brittany says. “This experience encouraged us to talk to our pediatrician and do early introduction of milk, eggs and peanuts with our youngest, Bronze.”
About 20 minutes after introducing a small amount of peanut powder to his bottle for the first time, Bronze started acting unusually tired and fussy. Brittany noticed he was irritable, but thought he was just tired and needed an early bedtime; Bronze was too young to describe what was happening, and his symptoms didn’t look like Sterling’s allergic reaction. When Bronze became inconsolable and started to break out into hives, Brittany rushed him to the emergency room, where doctors confirmed Bronze’s allergy to peanuts.
“Based on my experience,” Brittany says, “I can tell you a severe allergic reaction may not look how you think it will, especially in babies and toddlers.” Many parents are aware of what allergic reactions look like in adults — itching skin, swelling of the face, tingling or itching of the mouth, hives — but the symptoms for young children can look different. Babies and toddlers are more likely to have skin and stomach symptoms when they have allergic reactions. “Both of my kids got really fussy and irritable,” explains Brittany. “With my daughter Sterling, the vomiting, sneezing, and red eyes were pretty heavy cues that something was wrong. And with Bronze, the hives and the welts quickly began to cover his body.”
Recognizing the Signs & Symptoms
Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and paid medical advisor to Kaléo, explains that not only can signs of an allergic reaction be difficult to spot in infants and toddlers, symptoms of a severe allergic reaction may vary by age and race.
Some of the symptoms to watch out for include: fussiness and spitting up; stomach-related issues, like persistent vomiting; and skin reactions (like hives).[1], [2], [3], [4] On lighter skin, hives appear as raised red bumps, while on darker skin, hives appear as raised bumps and color changes may not be as obvious. Make sure to talk to your child’s doctor about what it could look like if your child has an allergic reaction to food.
Responding to an Allergic Emergency
Knowing the signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction is the first step, but equally important is knowing how to respond in an allergic emergency. Being prepared “includes having an anaphylaxis action plan, keeping two epinephrine auto-injectors, such as AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection, USP), with your child, and educating caregivers – including at school or daycare – about reaction signs and symptoms and how to manage them,” explains Dr. Gupta.
“After our kids’ allergic reactions, our family’s doctor prescribed them both AUVI-q,” Brittany says. AUVI-q is the only FDA-approved epinephrine auto-injector for infants and toddlers weighing 16.5 to 33 pounds. “What I love most about AUVI-q is the calm voice and clear instructions that can help parents and caregivers confidently administer epinephrine. It even reminds you to call 911.”
Making a Game Plan
Food allergy families should have a game plan to make sure they’re prepared for an allergic emergency. Brittany explains, “Our family’s food allergy game plan is important so that we can enjoy our time with Bronze and Sterling. Our game plan includes communicating the kids’ allergies to those around us, staying prepared with snacks and foods our kids can safely eat, bringing extra snacks for sharing with their friends, and carrying our AUVI-q.”
To learn more about Brittany’s story and how to be prepared for a severe food allergy reaction, visit www.FoodAllergyGamePlan.com.
Brittany Mahomes was compensated for her participation in this campaign.
Indication
AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection, USP) is a prescription medicine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions.
Important Safety Information
AUVI-Q is for immediate self (or caregiver) administration and does not take the place of emergency medical care. Seek immediate medical treatment after using AUVI-Q. Each AUVI-Q contains a single dose of epinephrine. AUVI-Q should only be injected into your outer thigh, through clothing if necessary. If you inject a young child or infant with AUVI-Q, hold their leg firmly in place before and during the injection to prevent injuries. Do not inject AUVI-Q into any other part of your body, such as into veins, buttocks, fingers, toes, hands, or feet. If this occurs, seek immediate medical treatment and make sure to inform the healthcare provider of the location of the accidental injection. Only a healthcare provider should give additional doses of epinephrine if more than two doses are necessary for a single allergic emergency.
Rarely, patients who use AUVI-Q may develop infections at the injection site within a few days of an injection. Some of these infections can be serious. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms at an injection site: redness that does not go away, swelling, tenderness, or the area feels warm to the touch.
If you have certain medical conditions, or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse or you may have more or longer lasting side effects when you use AUVI-Q. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma. Also tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have asthma, a history of depression, thyroid problems, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart problems or high blood pressure, have any other medical conditions, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Epinephrine should be used with caution if you have heart disease or are taking certain medicines that can cause heart-related (cardiac) symptoms.
Common side effects include fast, irregular or ‘pounding’ heartbeat, sweating, shakiness, headache, paleness, feelings of over excitement, nervousness, or anxiety, weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, or breathing problems. These side effects usually go away quickly, especially if you rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Please see the full Prescribing Information and the Patient Information.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
CM-US-AQ-3430
REFERENCES:
[1] Dosanjh A. “Infant anaphylaxis: the importance of early recognition.” J Asthma Allergy. 2013;6:103-107.
[2] Greenhawt M, Gupta RS, Meadows JA, et al. “Guiding Principles for the Recognition, Diagnosis, and Management of Infants with Anaphylaxis: An Expert Panel Consensus.” J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2019;7(4):1148-1156.e5.
[3] Pistiner M, Mendez-Reyes JE, Eftekhari S, et al. “Caregiver-Reported Presentation of Severe Food-Induced Allergic Reactions in Infants and Toddlers.” J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(1):311-320.e2.
[4] Simons FE, Sampson HA. “Anaphylaxis: unique aspects of clinical diagnosis and management in infants (birth to age 2 years).” J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015;135(5):1125-1131.
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
