Almost 1 in 10 children in the UK are affected by allergy with a fifth of allergic reactions happening at school – and yet only half of primary schools say they are confident managing anaphylaxis. Tracey Dunn advises
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Unhelpfully for people with allergies there are many misconceptions about their life-threatening condition. There is confusion about allergy and intolerance as well as a rising number of people who excuse their dislike of a food by saying that they are allergic to it.

People with allergies must avoid eating the substance they are allergic to as even a tiny bit can cause a reaction. 

At best they will have a mild reaction including hives, nausea, itching and swelling – at worst they will have anaphylaxis with compromised airway, breathing and circulation which without life-saving adrenaline could be fatal.

The immune system in a person with an allergy has misread the food/substance and treats it as a threat, attacking the body. An intolerance doesn’t affect the immune system and while a person eating the food may be unwell, the resulting symptoms are not life-threatening and the person will recover. For a person with an allergy, even a little bit will hurt. 

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