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Immunotherapy 'life changing' for family with severe allergies
🇮🇪 Ireland /Health & Science

Immunotherapy 'life changing' for family with severe allergies

From RTÉ News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Oral immunotherapy treatment has been life-changing for families managing severe food allergies in children, according to Sheila Loxton, mother of two.
  • The treatment involves gradually increasing small amounts of allergens under medical supervision to build tolerance and reduce anaphylaxis risk.
  • Advocacy groups like the Irish Food Allergy Network campaign for better awareness and treatment options for children with allergies in Ireland.

Discovering oral immunotherapy treatment has been a "life changing" experience for Sheila Loxton and her two children, Josh and Erin, who suffer from severe food allergies. Ms. Loxton, an active member of the Irish Food Allergy Network, shared her family's journey with allergies, highlighting the critical need for better awareness and treatment in Ireland.

Life changing

— Sheila LoxtonDescribing the impact of oral immunotherapy treatment on her family.

Her son Josh's allergies first emerged when he was just two years old. Ms. Loxton recalled the terrifying moment he began to deteriorate rapidly after eating a home-cooked meal, experiencing severe swelling and breathing difficulties. "Literally he was dying before our eyes after having eaten a home-cooked meal," she said, noting that responders quickly identified the reaction as anaphylaxis.

To begin with, we weren't aware that he had any food allergies.

— Sheila LoxtonRecounting the initial emergence of her son Josh's allergies.

Ms. Loxton explained that a common misconception is that allergies only develop in children with limited diets, but Josh was eating a varied diet when his reaction occurred. She also pointed to the "atopic march," a potential link between chronic eczema in early childhood and later food allergies, suggesting that earlier awareness of this connection could have helped manage the situation.

We were at home eating a home-cooked meal, foods that he would have had previously and right before our eyes within minutes of consuming that meal he started to deteriorate very, very rapidly.

— Sheila LoxtonDescribing the sudden and severe onset of her son's allergic reaction.

Frustrated by the lack of progress in Ireland, the Loxton family began researching international treatments in 2023. They discovered oral immunotherapy (OIT), a treatment available worldwide for about 20 years, which is proven to reduce anaphylaxis risk. "It slowly builds up a tolerance to the allergen, and you just have to work on that over a period of time," Ms. Loxton explained. The family now travels to France every six months to access this life-altering therapy.

His face, his lips swelled, his eyes and nose were streaming, and he was starting to struggle to breathe.

— Sheila LoxtonDetailing the physical symptoms her son experienced during the allergic reaction.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by RTÉ News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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