Our story on this tragedy was posted yesterday. This link to a CBS 6 New Report is an update to the story.
The latest news about the death of a 7-year old Hopkins Road Elementary student has our community reeling. The young girl went into cardiac arrest after apparently suffering an allergic reaction according to an article in the Richmond Times Dispatch dated January 3, 2012.
While the cause of death is still under investigation, there are reports that the child had an allergy probem of some sort and may have died of an allergic reaction to something she ate. This has not been confirmed as of this time.
The loss felt by this family must be unbearable at this time. Our thoughts and prayers reach out to this family as they face their incredible grief at such a tragic loss. As a mother and grandmother, my heart aches at this news.
Local Resources
For those who have children who suffer from some type of allergy, this situation only raises the alarm and heightens the need to ensure that children are protected from potential allergic reactions in every way possible. We must all be aware that children who have allergies are often in life-threatening situations and we can all take precautions to help protect them. Unfortunately, accidents do happen and the results can be catastrophic as they were for this young child.
We are so thankful for the many resources available to Richmond moms to help them protect their children from potential allergic reactions. Allergy Apparel is one local business that offers shirts, labels and other apparel to make others aware of allergies in children. The Allergy Apparel website offers a wealth of educational materials and links on their resource page that provides valuable information and resources. Theresa Marie Green started the website and business after learning that her son had a severe peanut allergy and was unable to find answers to all of her questions (read more about her here).
Theresa also offers a wealth of information and resources in her recent article found at this link on Richmondmom.com.
Learning More
The top 8 foods that are typically associated with allergies (note that this is NOT an all-inclusive list of foods that cause allergies) include:
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Milk
- Shellfish
- Fish
- Wheat
- Tree Nuts
- Soy
Allergy Kids is a national website filled with valuable information for parents and caregivers with children who have allergies. They include a long list of resources such as support groups on their resource page. They also include links to important resources including the Food Allergy Initiative, Food Allergy Project, Allergic Child, Allergy Moms, and many more.
Richmondmom.com offers condolences and prayers for the family of the young girl who lost her life this week. We will keep our readers informed of any opportunities to reach out with support for the family as information becomes available. We welcome your thoughts and comments below.
