Severe Food Allergies and What to Do in an Emergency

Today, a food allergic reaction sends someone to the emergency room once every three minutes in the United States. According to the CDC, there was a 265% increase in the rate of hospitalizations related to food allergic reactions between 1997 and 2007. 1 in 13 children in the U.S. now has a food allergy, and as many as 50 million Americans are allergic to something.

More people have food allergies than ever before, airlines are considering carrying EpiPens, a life-saving device and injection of epinephrine on flights, so knowing what to do in case of a severe allergic reaction could help save a loved one’s life.

Sometimes, food allergies are diagnosed early, and sometimes the diagnosis comes when a life-threatening allergic reaction occurs.

This short video shows what to do in an emergency. Please share this with family, friends, your school, church and community. It just might save a life.

Robyn O'Brien

Robyn O’Brien is the co-founder of rePlant Capital, an impact investment firm, deploying integrated capital from soil to shelf in order to build soil health and financial resiliency for farmers. She is also the founder of Do Good, a strategic advisory firm, and the AllergyKids Foundation. Random House published Robyn’s book, The Unhealthy Truth, in 2009, and her TEDx talks have been translated into dozens of languages and viewed by millions around the world.