Food Allergy Fatality from One Bite of Cookie
Very sad to read about another food fatality today.
Daniel Sargent collapsed only 90 seconds after one bite of a homemade chocolate chip cookie which, unbeknowst to him, contained peanut butter.
According to this article, Daniel was attending a birthday party for a friend. He took one bite of a cookie and had a severe and overwhelming allergic reaction. (anaphylaxis) Medical personnel who also attended the party, immediately administered CPR until the ambulance crew arrived.
At the hospital, doctors tried various measures for the next two days to help his body recover from extreme anaphylactic shock but on Tuesday, he was declared brain dead.
“Sargent’s family said they hope their loss is a reminder of how important it is to label food containing common allergens, even at picnics and other community events.“I don’t want another parent to have to go through this,” said David Sargent, Daniel’s father. “It’s been proven that peanuts can drop you quick.“You may be the world’s greatest cook, but if it has peanuts in it, please label it. It can kill somebody.”
Man’s death a stark reminder of food allergy risks
This is a tragic reminder that past reactions cannot predict the severity of future reactions and why it is so important to carry epinephrine at all times.
July 4, 2008 @ 11:32 am
From the article: “Sargent, a Herald employee, was one of about 5,000 people who die each year nationally from anaphylactic shock, which can be triggered by common foods such as peanuts, shellfish and eggs, said Angel Waldron, a spokeswoman for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.”
Now that’s a number I’ve never heard before. Usually they quote 150-200 deaths a year from food induced anaphylactic shock. I don’t know how to read that. Do they mean 5000 people per year from ALL causes of anaphylaxis, or from food alone? Either way, not a good number.
My condolances to the Sargent family.
July 4, 2008 @ 4:12 pm
My condolences go out to the Sargent family, too.
The article quotes the bereaved father as saying that it is important to label food containing common allergens, even at picnics and other community events. I disagree with this, as I’m concerned it could give people a false sense of security.
The average person who is not living with life-threatening food allergy does not understand the precautions that must be taken to make something truly allergen-free. A homemade cookie, for example, could be labeled as “peanut-free” — but may have been stirred using the unwashed spoon that was just used to make a batch of peanut butter cookies. Or an allergen could spill or splatter onto the platter of an otherwise “safe” item. Or the item might contain a “secret ingredient” that the chef chooses not to divulge. Or whatever.
For those with severe food allergies, it is generally best not to eat the food served at potlucks and picnics at all, unless the dish was prepared specifically with the food-allergic person in mind, by a chef who is completely knowledgeable about food allergy cooking, and dished up before any cross-contamination could occur.
July 5, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
[…] As you read the second abstract you will see that the “median time to respiratory or cardiac arrest was 30 min for foods” so a delay can be deadly. Surely something to keep in mind when developing your 504 plan or EHP for your child for the next school year. […]
July 13, 2008 @ 1:15 am
The article was corrected to 300 deaths each year instead of 5,000. Big difference!
July 13, 2008 @ 11:02 pm
How very sad. Did they try to use the epi pen? Ninety seconds seems too quick the epi pen to help.
July 14, 2008 @ 2:57 am
[…] After reading the article I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and my whole body tensed up. I went to talk to my father, a retired pediatrician, about the article (I was visiting my parents) and as I spoke, I began to cry. I’m not sure why this particular story affected me so much, but I think it was because of what Gina at Allergy Moms said out about this story: “This is a tragic reminder that past reactions cannot predict the severity of future reactions…” […]
July 14, 2008 @ 5:47 pm
It is so sad. Its horrible when it happens to a child, its horrible when it happens to an adult. You look at it like, Jeez, he made it all this way, but “it” still got him.
That’s why I the Food Allergy Initiative is one of my favorite charities.
Let’s find a cure!
July 15, 2008 @ 5:44 pm
My heart goes out to this parent. In one of the comments someone writes others without allergies do not understand. The morning busdriver to school on a specialneeds bus refuses to give the epi if something goes wrong. I was told by the assitant principal ( The drive to school is only 15 minutes) 15 minutes to late. I am going to try to get specialneeds buses to have to give the epi if needed.
god bless this family.
August 19, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Dear Allergy Moms and other posters,
Thank you for your condolences for my brother Dan. This tragic accident has had far reach effects. My brother was always about helping people. Even in his death, he is still doing what he loved most. Educating and helping others, especially children.