As the mother of a child with severe allergies, Jana Robertson knows only too well that sometimes even constant vigilance isn't enough. Recently her 16-year-old son Ian, who is allergic to several foods including dairy products and peanuts, was planning to go to a pizza restaurant with friends. A few days in advance, Jana tracked down ingredient lists for everything her son would be eating on his night out. She had been checking ingredients ever since he was rushed to hospital at 11 months of age after suffering a severe reaction to soy formula. This time everything was fine - or so she thought. But on the way home from the pizza parlour Ian complained of itchiness. When his forehead and lips began to swell his parents rushed him to hospital where doctors pumped him with epinephrine and intravenous fluids. He was in the early stages of anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction which if left untreated can lead to death.
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