Death Due to Peanut Allergies: Emily's Story

Filed in archive Food Allergies , Living with Allergies on October 25, 2007

It's been more than one and a half years since I started blogging about allergies, with much emphasis on food allergies primarily because it's a personal issue: my son has multiple food allergies. There were times when I asked myself whether I'm being balanced, or if I have been too paranoid, too alarmist, putting too much emphasis on how dangerous food allergies can be.

But just how serious are food allergies? In the US alone, the Center for Disease Control approximates that food allergies accounts for 30,000 cases of anaphylaxis, 2,000 hospitalizations, and 150 deaths annually. And the real danger? Death can come very swiftly.

Here's Catrina Vonder Meulen at the Today Show who lost her 13-year-old daughter, Emily, 18 months ago to a bout of anaphylaxis due to peanut allergy while on a shopping expedition. According to Catrina, Emily had a sandwich from a chain restaurant at the mall food court, something she had eaten at least 50 times before. Within 20 minutes, she died.

Thank you to the Today Show and to families and individuals out there who help spread awareness about just how dangerous food allergies can be. If you or children do not have food allergies, chances are, there is one in your child's school or in your neighborhood who do. Please help make it a safer place for people with severe food allergies.