A New York man filed a wrongful death lawsuit last month against a Disney World restaurant, resulting from his wife’s death last fall, and bringing to light the worst nightmare of a person living with food allergies — and the worry their family members carry.

Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, a New York physician, was dining at the Florida restaurant with her husband Jeffrey Piccolo and mother-in-law. Tangsuan, allegedly, asked her waiter multiple times to confirm that her meal could be made allergen-free because she had severe dairy and nut allergies. The waiter even, supposedly, confirmed with the chef that they would prepare the doctor’s meal allergen-free.

Unfortunately, less than an hour after eating, Tangsuan had an allergic reaction, experienced trouble breathing, and later died at a hospital.

Now, Piccolo’s lawsuit has shed light on the silent terror allergies can pose and the importance of allergy awareness and education.

Understanding how allergies occur

Allergies are the body’s reaction to certain substances, known as allergens, that are usually harmless. Anyone can develop some sort of hypersensitivity that could either be damaging temporarily or lethal.

Specifically, as it relates to food allergies, about 8 percent of children and 11 percent of adults in the U.S. suffer from it, according to the JAMA Open Network journal.

Here’s the thing: The immune system’s primary responsibility is to protect your body from harmful substances, germs, and other cell changes that could make you sick. It’s your body’s way of detecting, remembering, fighting, and removing foreign materials that are harmful to the body, including allergens.

Now, when you are exposed to an allergen, your immune system perceives these substances as threats. As programmed, it sends out a defensive response by creating a type of protein called an immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody. This antibody binds to the allergen, triggering the release of messenger chemicals, such as histamine.

Histamine and other chemicals are responsible for various allergic symptoms that appear as mild or severe discomfort. The severity and type of symptoms depend on the type of allergen, your immune system response, and the level of exposure to the allergen. Simply put, allergic reactions are your body’s way of letting you know a substance isn’t good for your health.

How to know if you’re allergic to certain foods and substances

You know you are allergic to a certain substance when your body shows any of these symptoms after contact or exposure:

Gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea; and in severe cases, anaphylaxis, characterized by a rapid drop in blood pressure, difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, and loss of consciousness.

Skin rash, skin peeling, skin discoloration.

Sneezing, cough, mucus, stuffy nose, sore throat, from allergies that you breathe in.

Some drugs, such as antibiotics, insulin, chemotherapy, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), may lead to multiple symptoms.

These symptoms might build up or occur straight away.

The best way to avoid health emergencies and allergic attacks or reactions creeping up on you is to first know your allergies. You can do this by undergoing a medical history evaluation, allergy testing, and physical examination. These are used to confirm the presence of an allergy and identify the specific allergen triggering the reaction, enabling appropriate measures to manage symptoms and avoid future exposures.

Also, be sure to state your allergies if you are ever in groups, at a restaurant, or in other sensitive places.

People with food allergies commonly deal with the need to adhere to strict dietary restrictions, heightened anxiety surrounding food consumption, social limitations in settings like restaurants or social gatherings, and the constant risk of accidental exposure to allergens.

The JAMA Network Open published a study last year on the “Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Differences in Food Allergies in the US,” conducted on nearly 52,000 households. It found that “Asian, Black, and Hispanic individuals were more likely to report having food allergies compared with white individuals. The prevalence of food allergies was lowest among households in the highest income bracket.”

Living with allergies

The need to always have epinephrine auto-injectors, such as EpiPens, on hand is of paramount importance, especially for people with food allergies. EpiPens deliver a dose of epinephrine into the bloodstream and are life-saving medications that can rapidly reverse severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis.

Medications such as antihistamines, allergy shots, nasal sprays, and nasal saline irrigation can also be used to treat allergies and are mostly sold over the counter. Air purifiers are commonly used to remove airborne allergens from the environment.

Finally, your family history is as relevant as your symptom history because some allergies are hereditary. Some families tend to develop a genetic disease called atopy, which is the likeliness of developing allergic reactions, such as hay fever, asthma, or eczema, in response to common allergens like pollen, dust mites, or certain foods. You are likely to be allergic to a particular substance if your parents are.

It is very important for people with any type of allergies, particularly those with a history of severe reactions, to carry an EpiPen with them at all times and know how to use it effectively.

Unfortunately, however, sometimes the allergic reaction can just be too severe. Dr. Tangsuan, who experienced the mishandled food preparation at the Disney World restaurant, “religiously carried an EpiPen,” and was even able to self-inject herself. But her and her family’s worst fear became a reality.

Living with Food Allergies and the Fear That What You Eat Could Kill You