Protection Against Serious Illness From Shrimp Allergy Symptoms
Not all people who have a shrimp allergy were necessarily born with it. In fact, more people develop it after they have matured well into adulthood. Some may even learn that they have an allergy to some or all crustaceans inadvertently when they develop shrimp allergy symptoms after consuming them.
If you are one of the many people that suffer from an allergy to shrimp, you are aware that it is an unfavorable reaction by your body’s immune system (to shrimp) if you ingest it. Some symptoms are:
- Difficulty breathing after consuming shrimp or other seafood
- Flushing (reddening) of the skin
- Hives (raised rash on the skin)
- A feeling of being very hot or smothered
- Feeling of faintness or light headedness
- In extreme cases, an inability to breathe at all due to the swelling of the trachea (windpipe) or allergy induced asthma.
If You Are Experiencing Shrimp Allergy Symptoms
Here is some important information you need to know if accidental consumption of shrimp occurs and you develop strange allergy symptoms:
- If mild symptoms occur, you can take a mild over the counter antihistamine such as Benadryl (if your doctor approves). A common allergy remedy recommended by doctors is diphenahydramine (generic name for Benadryl).
- Keep any medications your doctor has prescribed for your allergy in an easy to access and easy to remember location. This will ensure that in the case of an emergency, you will be able to easily and quickly access it.
- Let family and friends that you may be dining out with know about your allergy and where your allergy medications are located. You may also want to alert them of the many different types of symptoms you may experience.
- If your symptoms are severe, involve serious breathing complications, or your medication doesn’t work- you or someone around you needs to call 911 for immediate medical attention.
Shrimp allergies and its symptoms can be serious (sometimes even fatal); therefore prompt treatment is required. You should create a personal safety plan if you suffer from any type allergy.
Shrimp allergies in children need even more monitoring due to a couple of reasons:
1. A child’s circulatory system has less fluid circulating due to the child’s small size. Excess dilation (opening) of the blood vessels is one of the major symptoms that create serious problems. A slight variation in the balance of a child’s circulatory system can cause life threatening symptoms such as a drop in blood pressure.
2. The second cause is due to a child’s air passages being much smaller than an adults; therefore the swelling that occurs from allergies in children can cause an airway obstruction much sooner than it does in an adult. Children who stop breathing will also suffer brain and other tissue damage much sooner than an adult.
If a child is suffering from any of the above symptoms you should seek medical help immediately. An allergy can cause symptoms that are frightening and possibly life threatening in both children and adults. Precautions should be taken by those who suffer from them including any doctor recommended shrimp allergy remedy.
