Parents of children with serious food allergies usually carry an emergency kit, just in case their child has an anaphylactic reaction by accidentally ingesting allergy-causing food.

It contains:

• Epipen: This is an injection of the life-saving drug epinephrine that a parent can administer. It can serve as a brief reliever while rushing to a hospital's A&E unit.
• Benadryl (diphenhydramine): Antihistamine liquid to help ease red, irritated, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and a runny nose from an allergy.
• Liquid ventolin: To ease wheezing or an asthmatic attack.
• Documents: Copies of the child's official documents (NRIC, FIN card) in case they are needed for hospital admission. An emergency action plan with important phone numbers and paediatrician's contact number is also included.

It all fits into a bag slightly bigger than a can drink.

In an emergency, parents can go to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) or the National University Hospital (NUH) which are the two hospitals with emergency paediatric units. They can also call 995 if they need transport to the closest government hospital.

- COURTESY OF THE FOOD ALLERGY NETWORK SINGAPORE

This story was first published in The Straits Times' Mind Your Body supplement on Jan 30, 2008.