Significant increase in child emergencies due to allergic reactions

Emergency shots due to allergies in the US are rising massively

More and more children are suffering from an allergy, with sometimes severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) threatening, which can quickly become a medical emergency. US scientists have seen a dramatic increase in children's emergency departments because of allergic reactions. "The number of children in the US who had to go to the emergency room due to allergic reactions has (increased) by 150% from 2010 to 2016," reports the Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ) from the study results.

The study of the American Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBS) shows alarmingly the rise of allergies in children. In just seven years, the emergency department has increased by 150 percent. Overall, in the same period, allergies experienced an increase in incidence rates from 23 per 10,000 children in 2010 to 47 per 10,000 children in 2016 (up 104 per cent), according to the BCBS Communication.

More and more children in the United States suffer from allergies, and emergency admissions due to allergic reactions have increased significantly in recent years. (Image: Africa Studio / fotolia.com)

Allergic rhinitis and rash are the most common reactions

About 18 percent of children in the US suffered from allergies in 2016, with the most common allergic complaints being rhinitis (affecting 9 percent of children) and dermatitis (affecting 5 percent of children), BCBS experts explain. The rhinitis (sniffing) showed annual peaks that coincide with the seasons of pollen allergy and dust allergy in spring and autumn, while the dermatitis (rash) in the study period has remained relatively stable, the researchers continue.

Food allergies often cause of emergencies

Allergic reactions to certain foods are found to account for nearly half (47 percent) of allergy-related emergencies, with peanuts (22 percent), nuts and seeds (15 percent), and milk and eggs (6 percent) the most common triggers. Fish and shellfish (3 percent) and fruit and vegetables (2 percent), however, are much less likely to cause a medical emergency, according to the results of the investigation.

Parents should be prepared

Overall, 53 percent of emergency allergic exposures were due to unknown foods or other unspecified causes (such as insect bites), highlighting the need for parents of vulnerable children to be prepared to respond at all times, BCBS experts point out. According to the BVKJ, signs of an anaphylactic reaction may be difficulty breathing, hypotension or loss of consciousness. In the worst case, a life-threatening anaphylactic shock threatens.

Ensure child safety

The most severe allergic reactions in children have increased dramatically, largely due to food and associated with a sharp increase in emergency rooms, the researchers report. Other regularly diagnosed allergies are still common complaints, but the emergency shots have hardly increased in them. The correct identification and diagnosis of childhood allergies continues to be an important step in ensuring the safety of children, the experts emphasize.

"With more and more children suffering from food allergies and at risk of life-threatening anaphylactic reactions, the availability of affordable medicines and emergency care will be critical to children's health," emphasizes the BCBS. (Fp)