VANCOUVER -- Anaphylaxis is a growing public health issue. It's a sudden, widespread allergic reaction often triggered by food and insect stings. About one to 2 percent of Canadians are believed to be at risk. While rare, anaphylaxis can be fatal if intervention is delayed. That's why some parents want legislation in place so all schools have a plan of action for each and every student living with a deadly allergy.
Three years ago, Sabrina Shannon who was allergic to peanuts, dairy and soy had a severe anaphylactic reaction after eating french fries apparently cross-contaminated with cheese in her school cafeteria in Pembroke Ontario. By the time, she was given adrenaline, it was too late.
She was an only child. Mike comments that Sabrina wasn't getting enough oxygen. When they got to the hospital, she'd gone 40 minutes without oxygen. Sabrina was her father Mike's life.
Her death prompted her parents to lobby for legislation to make it safer for highly allergic kids in schools. Sabrina's law came into effect in Ontario at the beginning of this year.
Mike Shannon says the law isn't about getting allergic foods out of schools. The law is about getting everybody being on the same playing field, everybody knowing what to do in the event of an emergency.
In BC, there is no such Sabrina's Law, but there are some protective measures in place.
Hugh Blackman, Vice Principal of Lord Nelson Elementary School, says, "our district has one of the best protocols for anaphylaxis and how to deal with kids health emergencies."
Because seven children at Lord Nelson school are at risk of anaphylaxis, staff here are trained to recognize signs and symptoms of allergic reactions and are taught how to respond.
Pam Shroeder, mother of child at risk of anaphylaxis, says, "this is a sample of an emergency plan. This is what we have in place for Aaron. The first thing is always to give epinephrine or adrenalin, call 911 and then go to hospital."
Because of his peanut allergy, Aaron Shroeder always carries an epipen on him. He's had to use it once in school after he shared a friend's granola bar.
Pam Shroeder, mother, says, "He realized he was having a reaction and they told his teacher and they gave him the epipen and I was called and we went to the hospital for the day.
Many school districts haev guidelines to deal with anaphylaxis, but not all staff know how to use these life-saving epipens and at the high school level, they may even be less aware of the need to be proactive.
Mike Shannon comments that if you administer the epipen right away, it'll buy you ten minutes.
And in severe reactions, that can be the difference between life and death. To prevent other tragedies, Mike Shannon wants Sabrina's law implemented here. He believes that if the law had been in place, Sabrina would have little more of a fighting chance. He's not saying she would have been alive, but it would have given her a fighting chance to stay alive.
BC is currently not considering anything like Sabrina's law, though Education Minister Shirley Bond says school boards have been asked to create policies concerning life-threatening allergies. For more information about anaphylaxis you can go to the website: www.allergysafecommunities.ca.
