Anaphylaxis (pronounced ana-fil-ax-is) is a serious and often sudden allergic reaction. It can occur when someone with allergies is exposed to something they are allergic to (known as an allergen).
Allergy Awareness Week is the 22nd – 26th April and its main aim is to raise awareness of all allergies and their seriousness.
Allergy is the most common chronic disease in Europe. Up to 20% of patients with allergies struggle daily with the fear of a possible asthma attack, anaphylactic shock, or even death from an allergic reaction. Reactions usually begin within minutes and rapidly progress, but can occur up to 2-3 hours later. Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction – it’s a whole-body response, requiring emergency treatment.
An allergic ‘reaction’ is usually classed as anaphylaxis if there are changes in a person’s breathing, heart rate or blood pressure. Most healthcare professionals consider an allergic reaction to be anaphylaxis when it involves a difficulty in breathing or affects the heart rhythm or blood pressure.
Our anaphylaxis training course is aimed at staff that may be required to administer adrenaline and other medicines to treat an anaphylactic reaction (allergic reaction). This course will give delegates the skills and confidence to recognise and respond appropriately to anaphylaxis.
The common causes of anaphylaxis include foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, sesame seeds and kiwi fruit, although many other foods have been known to trigger anaphylaxis. In the UK, food businesses must provide information about any of the 14 major allergens when they are used as ingredients in the food and drink they provide.
Non-food causes include wasp or bee stings, natural latex (rubber), and certain drugs such as penicillin. In some people exercise can trigger a severe reaction – either on its own or in combination with other factors such as food or drugs (e.g. aspirin).
Whilst allergic reactions are covered on many of our standard first aid courses, we also offer a specific Anaphylaxis course that is 1 hour in duration. This course is aimed at those requiring a little more information and is often taught to staff teams where colleagues or children have anaphylaxis.
Our course programme employs a variety of teaching techniques to meet the needs of individual delegates and includes the following:
- Identify common trigger factors
- Recognise signs and symptoms
- Treat anaphylaxis appropriately
- Use an auto-injection device correctly
- Administer intramuscular adrenaline 1:1000
- Understand follow up management and treatment
The UK has some of the highest prevalence rates of allergic conditions in the world, with over 20% of the population affected by one or more allergyanaphylas. In the 20 years to 2012, there was a 615% increase in the rate of hospital admissions for anaphylaxis in the UK. The percentage of children diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and eczema have both trebled over the last 30 years. In the UK, allergic diseases across all ages cost the NHS an estimated £900 million a year, mostly through prescribed treatments in primary care, representing 10% of the GP prescribing budget.
The World Allergy Organisation (WAO) estimate of allergy prevalence of the whole population by country ranges between 10 – 40%. Anaphylaxis-type reactions occur in approximately 1 in 1000 of the general population. Around 10 people each year die in England and Wales as a result of having a food allergy.
Allergy and related conditions are estimated to cost the NHS about £1 billion a year. The prevalence of cow’s milk allergy in children living in the developed world is approximately 2% to 3%, making it the most common cause of food allergy in the paediatric population.
An Allergy UK survey carried out in 2023 found:
- 63% of parents caring for a child with a food allergy worry about the financial cost of their child living with this condition.
- 66% of participants report that their food allergy has impacted their mental health.
- 59% of participants have faced challenges with accessing the proper diagnosis or care for their food allergy/allergies.
- 97% of them worry about allergic reactions when not in control of food preparation.
Acorn understands that medication training needs to take into consideration not only the needs of the child but also those of the staff team and others such as the LEA, OFSTED and Healthcare Professionals.
Since 1st October 2017, the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017 now allow ALL schools in the UK to keep spare adrenaline auto injectors (AAI’s) for emergency use to be used for children who are at risk of anaphylaxis. Over 200,000 people require the prescription of emergency adrenaline due to their allergic condition.
Pre-loaded auto-injectors containing adrenaline are prescribed for people who are at risk of anaphylaxis. Adrenaline is referred to in some countries as epinephrine, which is the internationally recognised term for adrenaline. Because serious allergic reactions can occur very quickly, adrenaline auto-injectors must always be readily available. It is important that those with serious allergies carry two adrenaline auto-injectors at all times which are in date and of the correct dose.
For a parent of a child at risk from anaphylaxis, this represents an important reassurance that their child will have emergency treatment available on the school premises. Schools may wish to discuss with their community pharmacist the different AAI’s available and what is most appropriate for the age-group and needs of the school.
Once this law came in, there was a national shortage of EpiPen’s however since June 2020, supply has now stabilised further and there is good availability of both EpiPen Jr 0.15mg and EpiPen 0.3mg AAIs. Please continue to adhere to the manufacturer’s expiry date labelled on any EpiPen to ensure their efficiency.
(Statistics provided by Allergyuk.org and further references provided by The Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017 and Anaphylaxis Campaign website)
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