Pediatrician teams up with Mahomes family to help kids with severe food allergies
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Doctors say the number of people with food allergies has doubled in the last decade.
Six million children in the U.S. have at least one food allergy.
“That's one in 13 kids,” said Dr. Ruchi Gupta. "Two in every classroom. So it's definitely a lot of people.”
Dr. Gupta is helping parents like the Mahomes family come up with a game plan to raise awareness.
“Brittany and Patrick have two young children, Sterling and Bronze and they both have food allergies,” said Dr. Gupta.
“In my conversations with her, you know, her son Bronze was doing what we are encouraging right now, which is introduction of peanut products early to prevent peanut allergy. But as she was doing this he had an allergic reaction.”
Dr. Gupta is a professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research at Northwestern University.
She says the signs of allergic reaction can look different in kids than adults.
“A couple of common ones, skin, hives, swelling, itching, and that can look different in different skin tones. Also, you can have an allergic reaction with no skin symptoms, the other organ system is Gi. So vomiting is a really common expression of food allergy. Third one is respiratory, so trouble breathing.”
Dr. Gupta said the Mahomes noticed signs of an allergic reaction in her son and rushed to the emergency room.
“It was very scary for their family. But what's great is I think she's developed this confidence because she now has a very clear action plan. She understands the signs and symptoms.”
Dr. Gupta stresses the importance of having an action plan in place, especially at school.
“Oh, so important. I have a child with food allergies, as well. And when you leave your child with others, it is so critical to make sure they are fully aware of the plan. You know those signs and symptoms, how to use the epinephrine and how to get them help immediately.”