Wiggle Anthony Field talks about school allergies

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field with his son Antonio

Anthony’s four-year-old son Antonio’s intolerance for peanuts appeared without warning when he was two.

When did you discover Antonio has severe allergies?
When Antonio was about two, I was away on tour and had a call from my wife Miki to say Antonio had a reaction to a peanut butter sandwich. He’d been eating them for around 18 months without any problem so it was a big shock.

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Anyone who has experienced or seen first-hand someone having an anaphylactic reaction would know that it’s an incredibly frightening experience. He had breathing difficulties, his lips swelled and he developed a rash on his skin – we knew it was serious and an ambulance was called. He was quite listless, which we’ve discovered is one of the symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction. He was taken to hospital, which was frightening for him as well as us.

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field performing onstage

Who is most susceptible to food allergies?
Anybody can develop a food allergy. The most common triggers for food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy, which cause 90 per cent of allergic reactions. However, any food can trigger anaphylaxis.

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What can parents do if they think their child is at risk of food allergies?
The first thing to do is to speak to your doctor who can ascertain the risk. If there is a risk your child may have severe allergies, there are many organisations that provide information such as Anaphylaxis Australia. It helps you to feel calmer once you have an understanding of the allergy and its causes.

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field with his son Antonio

How can parents whose children have severe allergies help prepare them for school?
The best way is to speak to your child’s school and teachers about the allergies and provide an updated ‘Action Plan’ that details how the school should respond if your child has a reaction. Your doctor will help put one together.

If your child requires an adrenaline auto-injector, make sure the school has access to one and your child always takes one in their schoolbag.

The most important thing is to make sure everyone around your child is aware of their allergies, aware of the triggers and familiar with the adrenaline auto-injector and know how to use it correctly. This is the one thing that can save their lives in an emergency anaphylactic situation.

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