# 4-year-old went into anaphylactic shock after another passenger in a plane ate nuts 4 rows away. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 14, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516 "2014-08-14T15:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/41 "2014-08-15T04:10:11Z")
I am sure that was terrifying! What are you allergic to? I am navigating a late onset, doctor diagnosed allergy and it had its rough moments ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/42 "2014-08-15T04:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > **Customers with a nut allergy ?** Please be aware that we cannot guarantee a peanut free aircraft as other passengers may bring their own peanut products onboard and some of our snacks onboard may contain traces of nuts. [http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/are-peanuts-nuts-used-in-the-meals-snacks-on-board-ryanair-flights-i-have-a-nut-allergy-and-want-to-know-if-ryanair-have-a-policy-on-using-nuts-within-their-meals/](http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/are-peanuts-nuts-used-in-the-meals-snacks-on-board-ryanair-flights-i-have-a-nut-allergy-and-want-to-know-if-ryanair-have-a-policy-on-using-nuts-within-their-meals/) Based on the lack of verifiable evidence and Rynair’s stated policy above, I call the story bogus. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/43 "2014-08-15T05:31:09Z")
Natural Selection is a Bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/44 "2014-08-15T13:09:39Z")
> [@keturah](#): > > I am sure that was terrifying! What are you allergic to? I am navigating a late onset, doctor diagnosed allergy and it had its rough moments Tomatoes, peas, oranges, barley… it’s actually quite a list. I think it was the tomato allergy that triggered that. I had been repeatedly assured by my my hostess that the home-made stew contained NO tomatoes whatsoever. Turns out she’d added “just a little ketchup” for flavor. :rolleyes: It was really good stew. I think I had three helpings… I’m a lot less trusting since then. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/45 "2014-08-15T15:08:03Z")
$5 says this story ends up on a future Cracked “Stories that Fooled Your Friends”. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/46 "2014-08-15T15:33:00Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > [http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/are-peanuts-nuts-used-in-the-meals-snacks-on-board-ryanair-flights-i-have-a-nut-allergy-and-want-to-know-if-ryanair-have-a-policy-on-using-nuts-within-their-meals/](http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/are-peanuts-nuts-used-in-the-meals-snacks-on-board-ryanair-flights-i-have-a-nut-allergy-and-want-to-know-if-ryanair-have-a-policy-on-using-nuts-within-their-meals/) > > Based on the lack of verifiable evidence and Rynair’s stated policy above, I call the story bogus. I agree. I would think almost any airline would try to avoid liability, but especially a notoriously cheap one like Ryanair. Any airline would know that it can’t guarantee a 100% peanut free flight. I would think that if the parents informed them of their daughter’s peanut allergy, they might tell the parents they can ask the passengers to not eat peanuts, and not sell them, but can’t guarantee that people won’t eat some, because there are non-English speakers (like in this story), or deaf people, or people who forget the warnings, or kids, or people who start eating their trail mix and forget about the peanuts in there, or people who have an open bag of peanuts in their bag and it spills out, or any number of other things. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/47 "2014-08-15T16:04:04Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Last time I flew, about 7-8 years ago, they were handing out peanuts to anyone who wanted them. It seems like every seat, armrest and tray would be coated in peanut essence. Peanut essence. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/48 "2014-08-15T16:34:38Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Tomatoes, peas, oranges, barley… it’s actually quite a list. > > I think it was the tomato allergy that triggered that. I had been repeatedly assured by my my hostess that the home-made stew contained NO tomatoes whatsoever. Turns out she’d added “just a little ketchup” for flavor. My mother is deathly allergic to Tomatoes (and half the planet) and we occasionally run into the same thing. I recall being in a restaurant where she ordered something that didn’t list tomatoes in the ingredients. She made a point to ask if there were any in it and they said no. She told them why. Then they bring out this dish, tomatoes appearing to be a major ingredient. We didn’t even let them finish setting it down in front of her. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/49 "2014-08-15T18:56:54Z")
If I have a delicious meal of PB&J which I brought from home to have on a long flight, and the airline requests we not eat peanuts, will the airline give me a free meal? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/50 "2014-08-15T19:19:13Z")
I’ve treated a patient who is so allergic to finned fish that he went anaphylactic and had a cardiac arrest when someone opened a can of tuna and heated it up on a neighboring housing unit over 50 yards down the hall. He’d had a history of wheezing from being in supermarkets where they had fish on ice. It’s true, it happens. Small amounts of allergen can trigger a massive anaphylaxis and cause death. The wrong number of molecules in the wrong place at the wrong time can be fatal. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/51 "2014-08-15T20:00:06Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’ve treated a patient who is so allergic to finned fish that he went anaphylactic and had a cardiac arrest when someone opened a can of tuna and heated it up on a neighboring housing unit over 50 yards down the hall. Is this a case you personally investigated, and would such a case history be publishable (any links to journal articles detailing verified cases of this nature would be appreciated)? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/52 "2014-08-15T20:04:49Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’ve treated a patient who is so allergic to finned fish that he went anaphylactic and had a cardiac arrest when someone opened a can of tuna and heated it up on a neighboring housing unit over 50 yards down the hall. He’d had a history of wheezing from being in supermarkets where they had fish on ice. > > It’s true, it happens. Small amounts of allergen can trigger a massive anaphylaxis and cause death. The wrong number of molecules in the wrong place at the wrong time can be fatal. That is one of those cases where “how in the heck does he survive?” In school, his cafeteria obviously fried fish - probably every Friday during Lent. Most restaurants serve fish. And the favorite form of fish in the U.S. is fried - when frying - everything becomes an aerosol. He must have not been able to walk within a block of a VFW hall on a Friday in the Spring. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/53 "2014-08-15T21:02:18Z")
I’ve read that people can develop an allergy to a food that they’ve eaten before many times. Is it possible for an existing allergy to grow much stronger, such that the patient described by Qadgop the Mercotan wasn’t so allergic when he was younger, but has become more so? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/54 "2014-08-15T21:49:02Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Is this a case you personally investigated, and would such a case history be publishable (any links to journal articles detailing verified cases of this nature would be appreciated)? Yes, I’ve investigated it and the University-affiliated allergy dept involved in caring for him is looking to get a paper out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/55 "2014-08-15T22:18:40Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Yes, I’ve investigated it and the University-affiliated allergy dept involved in caring for him is looking to get a paper out of it. In that case I’d expect there to be laboratory corroboration of anaphylaxis (i.e. elevated serum tryptase and histamine levels) to go along with clinical symptoms. One factor in that account that differs from the plane story is the report of the tuna being heated, which might tend to volatilize potentially allergenic molecules. I found an interesting paper on Medscape on workup of possible pediatric anaphylactic reactions in the emergency department (not linkable, but can be found on Google search), detailing the differential diagnoses of anaphylactic reactions. _“Almost all acute conditions can be confused with anaphylaxis. The following should first be excluded by appropriate evaluation: respiratory distress syndromes, recent inhalation of foreign bodies, and epileptic syndromes with predominant hypotonia and loss of consciousness…(Vasovagal reactions) are the most frequent conditions mimicking anaphylaxis. Vasovagal reactions are a reflex of the involuntary nervous system causing bradycardia, vasodilatation and hypotension. The resultant fainting is synonymous with situational syncope, vasovagal syncope and vasodepression. Characterized by hypotension, pallor, asthenia, nausea, vomiting and profuse sweating, vasovagal reactions are generally caused by physical or emotional stress… Some psychogenic conditions can mimic anaphylactic reactions. These include Munchausen’s stridor (intentionally made sounds but not anaphylaxis, remitting after cough)[40], globus hystericus and panic attacks. Vocal cord dysfunction is typical of adolescents and may mimic an acute anaphylactic reaction.”_ Think it’s possible the mother and child on that plane might have been aware of an argument four rows away from them involving a passenger eating peanuts, and that stress induced by that knowledge could have had an impact on the child’s symptoms? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/56 "2014-08-15T22:24:21Z")
I was once just about to board a four-hour flight with my 1-year-old and my husband. Virtually all our food was PB sandwiches, cereal bars with nuts, Power bars with peanut butter, etc. They made an announcement just as we were about to board that passengers were asked to refrain from eating food with peanuts on the flight, because someone had an allergy. It was too late to buy any of the (overpriced) stuff sold in the terminal, and nothing was offered on the flight, except for crackers, which we had to purchase. There was free food for the passengers in first class, so I know there was stuff on board. I was really resentful of the fact that they would make such a request at the last minute, and not offer passengers something else to eat. I’ve read all the cites before that anaphylaxis from the near occasion of an allergen is psychogenic, and I’ve heard this from several different doctors (disclaimer: not allergists, just GPs), so I was doubtful in the first place that people really needed to refrain from opening a power bar in another aisle of the plane from the passenger with the allergy, but I honored the request anyway, and was really resentful that I didn’t have anything to eat on a four-hour flight, especially when I was breastfeeding. At least my son had something the eat. FWIW, I was really mad at the airline, not the passenger, although if the passenger really did wait until right before boarding to make this need known, that was pretty thoughtless. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/57 "2014-08-15T22:37:54Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > From the liniked Daily Mail story:It is also quite possible that someone previously sitting in that child’s seat had a peanut snack nearly 2,000 times. And he’s getting fucking sick of them. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/58 "2014-08-16T00:36:39Z")
> [@Hopeful\_Crow](#): > > Some years ago, a fellow tried to get peanuts banned at the Mariners baseball games. Said he and others with such sensitivities could go into shock just from having them in the general area. However, as a diehard fan, he should be able to see the games in person. This was, I believe, before the advent of the Epipen. I don’t follow baseball so I’m not entirely sure, but I suspuct that didn’t work out for him. I want to look that up. I’ve carried an Epi-Pen for \>30 years (bee stings and tree nut allergy, but other ppl can eat all the tree nuts they want). And they’ve had “bee sting kits” – basically a syringe with epinephrine and some antihistamines – longer than that. And IIRC peanut allergies were pretty rare until the past 20 years or so. But…if true, it’s a great story. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/59 "2014-08-16T00:48:36Z")
> [@Hopeful\_Crow](#): > > Some years ago, a fellow tried to get peanuts banned at the Mariners baseball games. Said he and others with such sensitivities could go into shock just from having them in the general area. However, as a diehard fan, he should be able to see the games in person. This was, I believe, before the advent of the Epipen. I don’t follow baseball so I’m not entirely sure, but I suspuct that didn’t work out for him. I know some MLB teams (at least the Twins do) have certain Peanut Free Days where the games have seating sections completely free of peanuts. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516/60 "2014-08-16T00:55:00Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’ve read all the cites before that anaphylaxis from the near occasion of an allergen is psychogenic, and I’ve heard this from several different doctors (disclaimer: not allergists, just GPs)… My intended (a coroner), my allergist (a Harvard graduate), and a number of medical journal articles disagree with you. Inhalant allergies and anaphylaxis are completely real, and can completely kill someone, especially a child. The good news is that peanut dust is pretty easy to remove with soap and water, or other cleaners. The bad news is that I’ve been on some flights where, I don’t think soap and water has been used to clean since the first Reagan administration. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-old-went-into-anaphylactic-shock-after-another-passenger-in-a-plane-ate-nuts-4-rows-away/695516.md?page=4)