Immunization—Anaphylaxis

Also called: Anaphylactic shock

Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction. It can begin very quickly, and symptoms may be life-threatening. The most common causes are reactions to foods (especially peanuts), medications, and stinging insects. Other causes include exercise and exposure to latex. Sometimes no cause can be found.

It can affect many organs:

Skin – itching, hives, redness, swelling
Nose – sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose
Mouth – itching, swelling of the lips or tongue
Throat – itching, tightness, trouble swallowing, swelling of the back of the throat
Chest – shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest pain or tightness
Heart – weak pulse, passing out, shock
Gastrointestinal tract – vomiting, diarrhea, cramps
Nervous system – dizziness or fainting

If someone is having a serious allergic reaction, call 9-1-1. If an auto-injector is available, give the person the injection right away.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Also called: Vaccination

Shots may hurt a little, but the diseases they can prevent are a lot worse. Some are even life-threatening. Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Immunizations are important for adults as well as children.

Your immune system helps your body fight germs by producing substances to combat them. Once it does, the immune system “remembers” the germ and can fight it again. Vaccines contain germs that have been killed or weakened. When given to a healthy person, the vaccine triggers the immune system to respond and thus build immunity.

Before vaccines, people became immune only by actually getting a disease and surviving it. Immunizations are an easier and less risky way to become immune.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases