The Sacramento Bee reported the tragic story of Natalie Giorgi, a 13-year-old who suffered from a peanut allergy.  She was aware of her food allergy and her and her parents were highly cautious about what Natalie ate.  Unfortunately, dim lighting caused confusion about what she was eating.  Three varieties of Rice Krispies treats were prepared during the last night of a family camping trip.  The treat Natalie selected had peanuts in it, which she tasted and immediately spit out the snack.

Natalie found her mother, who verified that the food seemed to have peanuts.  She was given Benadryl to offset an allergic reaction.  Though she seemed fine at first, she began vomiting and having trouble breathing 20 minutes later.  Her father administered three EpiPens, which had no effect.  CPR was performed and Natalie was taken to a hospital, but she was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

The family is hoping that this tragic event will raise awareness about the dangers of food allergies.  The incident took place at Camp Sacramento in the Eldorado National Forest, a popular getaway for families.  The facility is operated by the Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department.  At the moment, it is unclear where the snacks came from and camp officials have declined to comment.

A food allergy is an immune reaction to the consumption of a specific food or type of foods.  Common symptoms include itching, swelling of the mouth, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramps, diarrhea, skin reactions, throat swelling and difficulty breathing, and blood pressure drops.  In extreme cases, a food allergy can be fatal.  Health professional suggest wearing a medical alert bracelet to notify others of the allergy and carrying an epinephrine auto-injection device for counteracting a severe reaction.

The auto-injection device is best known as an EpiPen, which Natalie’s father attempted to use in her case, with no effect.  The EpiPen can prevent the body going into anaphylactic shock after exposure to an allergen, but is not always effective.  However, schools are lobbying for the ability to use EpiPens generally, without a student-specific prescription.  This came after a first grade student died of a food allergy and the death was likely preventable with the use of an EpiPen.  The school clinic only had EpiPens that were prescribed to individual students, which they were legally not able to use.

Food allergies are increasingly common in the U.S., with an estimated four to six percent of children suffering from allergies.  Food allergen exposure is also responsible for an estimated 300,000 emergency room visits for children, with 30 percent of anaphylaxis cases being fatal.  Some food allergies are not permanent and as many as 20 percent of people grow out of peanut allergies.