A six-year old girl with a known dairy allergy has died in Perth from an allergic reaction.
The details surrounding the reaction are unknown. However, Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia CEO Maria Said has told media she understands the tragedy to be Western Australia’s first child death from anaphylaxis caused by food allergies.
With two per cent of preschool children having a milk allergy, National Allergy Strategy’s Dr Richard Loh has warned parents of the dangers of dairy.
“A lot of people are concerned about peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shell fish … they may not be aware that in the last five deaths of children in Australia, three were due to milk,” he said.
“Severe reactions are now not uncommon.”
“There is a recent study showing that the fatalities, although extremely rare from food allergy in Australia, have been increasing by 10 per cent a year every year for the past seven years,” Dr Loh said. Ms Said agrees that food allergy deaths are rare, but considers they are “almost always” preventable.
In Chanel Seven news reports, Dr Loh has stressed the importance for all parents to learn the symptoms of anaphylaxis and be aware of the importance of seeking immediate medical attention by calling Triple Zero (000).
