Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 We had a scare with middle son this week. As you all know he left school early :no: To become a chef, that's all he has ever wanted to do. He was 16 no experience but was given a great opportunity to work at two restaurants in Cairns. A few years back when we made the move up to cairns I travelled up first and Rob stayed behind with middle son to finish off the packing and clean the house. Our dear friend invited them over for a meal and it was fish pie, middle son started itching and his lips swelled up but we never really took much notice. Then a few months ago he was handling squid at work and his hands all came up in red blotches, again we left this but told him he would probably be best avoiding squid or wearing gloves. Anyway the other day he was at work again and preparing prawns and squid and had an anaphylactic shock. Now the Drs were fantastic with him, much better than his employer who wanted him off the premises then he didn't get sued :no:. However, the Drs have told him that the reactions get worse each time (to be honest this doesn't make sense to me as I thought your body would get use to it) and that next time it could kill him. He told him he cannot go back to work and wrote a letter to his boss saying he had to quit. Now as you know middle son has left home and doesn't listen to us anymore, and decided not to hand the letter to his boss and has returned back to work. He loves his job there so much but I'm very concerned. Anyway after all this ramble, sorry:wub: I want to know if any other members have an allergy this bad. He has been given an epi pen but my concern is how good do they work? Would they save his life? As anyone actually used a pen and did it help? I have thought of telling his boss but then as my son left school with no qualifications, does not want to go back to school/tafe etc, all the work here is hospitality I would be ending his career and he would hate me forever, but is the hate better than losing him. I have bought him a pair of marigolds to wear when preparing the seafood but I can see him not wearing them. I bought him some antihistamines to take to help a little but he won't take them. So its all down to will this epi pen save him and what else can I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth 666 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I can't comment as to whether the pen will be enough, I think only your sons medical care team know him well enough to make that call. From what I recall from first aid training though, the reaction gets worse as the body actually tries to defend itself more vigorously with each new encounter with the allergen. On another note, as much of an arse the boss sounds, he may be well within his rights to fire your lad if he finds out that he's withholding medical info that's deemed a danger to your son and others. I'm not sure how this works in Oz though so you'd need to look into the employment law side of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Aw, sorry to hear about that - what a blow for your son (and a worry for you, of course). I faced the prospect of potentially having to give up my career due to health reasons, and I admit that I was pretty devastated. Allergic reactions do get worse with repeated exposure - the notion that you are safe if you've been exposed to a substance without ill-effect previously is a myth, because the immune system can only make antibodies to a substance it has encountered previously. My understanding is that allergic reactions do tend to become increasingly severe, however it is hard to predict the outcome because we all vary so much. An epi-pen provides adrenaline to treat the symptoms of anaphylaxis, and as such has been shown to be effective in reducing deaths from severe allergic reaction. Your son definitely needs to take steps to avoid exposure to the allergen, preferably by not preparing seafood. The alternative would be to use personal protective equipment, i.e. wear gloves and preferably cover his forearms or other areas that could inadvertently be contaminated. I would suggest that he try latex or nitrile gloves (vinyl is permeable to microorganisms, and I wouldn't be inclined to trust it to keep out the proteins responsible for the allergy either). Has your son seen an allergist for testing and advice? They could help to formulate a management plan as well as identify all triggers. Really, anyone with a severe allergy should let their employer know, because prompt treatment is essential to ensure that the employee doesn't end up in trouble. Adjustments to the workplace may be all that is required, e.g. if there is more than one person available, the other person could prepare the seafood while your son completes other tasks. Or at the very least, PPE could be introduced at very low cost. Not informing your employer of a medical condition could put you in the position of not being covered by their insurance if you suffer harm while at work, not to mention the WorkCover headache that could potentially ensue. Not trying to scare you, but it is important to consider these things. Is there a TAFE locally that runs a chef course? The campus on which I work has a whole load of hospitality courses, including training chefs who produce food to serve in the TAFE's restaurant. If he can get his qualifications one way or another, he could then have some say in where he works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Thanks all and to those who pmd me. Obviously they saw this happen and knew previously when it happened before, and he now has the epi pen in the works first aid box which is what they asked him to do. What they don't know is that the Drs have said he must quit. Unless they read this forum then I'm snookered. This son doesn't listen to me, thinks I'm trying to ruin his life etc. Left school with no qualifications, moved out of home. He is now 17 but to me he isn't mature at all. The problem is I've already been told I have no right to tell him what to do anymore, this really winds me up especially when in the next breathe they say we are financially responsible for them until they are 22. Im going to sit down with him and try and see if I can get him interested in anything else, but this is why he left school because he didn't care about anything apart from being a chef. They were saying he couldn't even be a waiter because if a piece of seafood dropped on his skin it could set him off. What we aren't sure of yet is if it is seafood or shellfish or both and are waiting for the bloods to come back on that. It also looks like we don't have an immunologist up here as they said he would be referred to Brisbane once they get results back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 He might be able to have a word with his boss and be straight with him about the seafood allergy. There could be plenty of work for a chef without having to prepare seafood. Don't take this thing too lightly TPQ, it could kill him if he gets exposed and doesn't get the right treatment quickly. My advice would be to come clean with the boss and ask to be put on meat preparation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikey Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 20-30people die every year in uk from anaphylaxis. Oz is similar. Half of those have never had a reaction before so in a way your son is lucky that he has an apipen. He should have two, ideally. Everyone he works with should be shown how to use it in case he collapses and cannot do it himself. He may be able to get a RAST test (not skin prick) for individual seafoods to narrow it down. I am sorry for you.....it is a horrible worry......and some people make really stupid comments about allergies (not that that matters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy1 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi PQ Sorry to hear about your problems. As an Ex. Chef I can sympathise with your son but Cheffing is a pretty hectic and dangerous place to be if you are not in the full of your health. His employer must be made fully aware of all issues and if his docs have warned against this then not sure if there is any choice. He needs to be fair on his fellow staff also. Maybe he could look into specialising in Pastry or something like that and approach some of the big hotels to get a place in a decent Pastry Department as in this way he could avoid the Shellfish side of things and get proper training in this department. In big hotels a Pastry Department would be separate from the main kitchen usually. This way you can show you are supporting him in his career choice but also showing the care needed. He might need to go somewhere else for this not sure what is available in Cairns or if Brisbane etc would offer better prospects especially for education. But also bigger hotels. Dont want to scare you or anything but i'm sure you are aware of the risks anyway but there was an incident in Ireland where a girl lost her life recently because she was not carrying her epipen and the Chemist would not issue one to her without a prescription and she died on the way to the hospital on the side of the street. Please get your son to carry his epipen all the time, maybe show him the article to indicate to him what can happen. A search should find it or let me know and i can locate it for you. I think he needs to be shown what the outcome of not being prepared could be. No one should have to go through that. Back to his career choice. He needs to get out of small restaurants where the risk is too great to come in contact with Seafood. If he wants to get on in Catering he needs to get properly trained or he will get nowhere and earn nothing decent (generally speaking). Big hotels have the budget and resources to help staff get the training they need. He might be able to do a few days in College for Cheffing and then most days in actual work. Push him on the Pastry side as normally Pastry Chefs are in very high demand if you are good in this area, but it is a long training process. To think he can become a good Chef with good prospects, Pastry or not, without College training is in my opinion a waste of time. As a Chef you needs many skills and it is rare you can get these without education. If he wants to be a chef you can show you're willingness to back him but in a responsible way by him getting the education in Catering that he needs to become a good one. Being a chef nowdays is a lot more than just cooking and education is important. Hygiene - a huge area, Health and Safety, Management skills, IT skills, Money management, Personnel management, stock control. You need proper education in all these areas. How would he know how to deal with someone who has allergies if he is not properly trained. These days the risks in Kitchens are too great to be taken lightly. I could go on and on but you get the idea. As a chef I spent more time managing than ever cooking and it can be hugely rewarding but he needs proper training. He will not get that in a small restaurant and if he has these health issues a small kitchen is no place to be. Trust me on this. Hope this helps but it might give you an opportunity to talk to him and be supportive in his career choice. He is only young and will be headstrong but if you take this approach might make him see you only want the best for him. He will see reason but it might take time and he might need to figure this out himself or you might need to convince him he has figured it out himself :wink: us guys can be a little slow sometimes. You cannot be a "Cooking"Chef forever it is a young guys game and at some stage he will need to be able to have the skills to branch out in a different ares whether it is in catering or not. Best of luck and if i can be of any other help let me know........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest16631 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 .......was going to say the same as skippy......... .......pastry chef....! ........so sorry to hear this Pom Queen........... ........but recently a young apprentice was sacked in sons kitchen....... .........allergic to shell fish.... .........as he was deemed a danger to others in the kitchen as well as him self...... .........on a busy night it gets quite hectic....... ..........and they need to b safe..... ...........hot ovens gills,.......fats.... ...........too dangerous ........ ............but as skippy has said there are many avenues in the catering world..... ...............best of luck to the young man........! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyman Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 We had a scare with middle son this week. As you all know he left school early :no: To become a chef, that's all he has ever wanted to do. He was 16 no experience but was given a great opportunity to work at two restaurants in Cairns. A few years back when we made the move up to cairns I travelled up first and Rob stayed behind with middle son to finish off the packing and clean the house. Our dear friend invited them over for a meal and it was fish pie, middle son started itching and his lips swelled up but we never really took much notice. Then a few months ago he was handling squid at work and his hands all came up in red blotches, again we left this but told him he would probably be best avoiding squid or wearing gloves.Anyway the other day he was at work again and preparing prawns and squid and had an anaphylactic shock. Now the Drs were fantastic with him, much better than his employer who wanted him off the premises then he didn't get sued :no:. However, the Drs have told him that the reactions get worse each time (to be honest this doesn't make sense to me as I thought your body would get use to it) and that next time it could kill him. He told him he cannot go back to work and wrote a letter to his boss saying he had to quit. Now as you know middle son has left home and doesn't listen to us anymore, and decided not to hand the letter to his boss and has returned back to work. He loves his job there so much but I'm very concerned. Anyway after all this ramble, sorry:wub: I want to know if any other members have an allergy this bad. He has been given an epi pen but my concern is how good do they work? Would they save his life? As anyone actually used a pen and did it help? I have thought of telling his boss but then as my son left school with no qualifications, does not want to go back to school/tafe etc, all the work here is hospitality I would be ending his career and he would hate me forever, but is the hate better than losing him. I have bought him a pair of marigolds to wear when preparing the seafood but I can see him not wearing them. I bought him some antihistamines to take to help a little but he won't take them. So its all down to will this epi pen save him and what else can I do. mrs tonyman went into anaphylactic shock while in hospital with our first , I had just walked around to see her during visiting times and they marched me away , saw her face was bloated , was worried to death...but she came through ......many nurses have NOT experienced this reaction , so its great that they have the training to know when its happening as its a life threat ..........don't use marigolds , buy 100 food gloves ..........throw them away ones used , I use them all the time for cooking . preparing and cleaning .......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 My brother in law is allergic to shellfish. If he even touches a prawn it will kill him. (Not sure why my sister buys so much seafood). Could your son get a job in a vegi restaurant, if such a thing exists in cairns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I haven't read all the comments (as about to cook dinner)..however my only experience of this was a challenging day at work..dealing with suicidal clients...just having a drink after work, when one of the girls..a backpacker..had a sandwich that was left over from a meeting..she'd had a few drinks..any case bit Into the sandwich, I was stood next to her, when she spat it out. Everybody else was a little merry, and didn't really notice but I asked if she was ok..she said she tasted a walnut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell123321 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Sorry to hear about your son, Like others have said maybe he could go into Pasty or a baker? Even though he will be angry, if the doctor has said he can't work there he has to stop asap, even though he loves his job his health has to come first. I hope you find a solution, do what you feel is best for your son. Hopefully your be able to find out if it is just shellfish or not. Best wishes sending your way :hug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Sorry it wouldn't let me type anymore...any case long story short, she said she had anaphylactic shocks when she eats walnuts and hadn't eaten once in five years. I left with her, caught a taxi, she could feel everything swelling, went to A and E, she never carries her Epi pen, apparently they said it could take 24 hours to really get into her system so she had to stay in overnight. She was ok and went to the blue mountains the next day. it was a very strange day as in A and E I got sat to a very respectable woman ina suit who was writing a book about the corruption in Sydney kings cross and corruption in the police force, she owned a brothel and the was telling me when the heels angels went in she to,d them not to bring drugs in for her women. She said the police had sent her to seek medical attention for saying she was mentally ill...it just got more weird on the train journey home. Ha..story to tell the children that day! as my OH is a chef I'm not sure how he would avoid coming into contact with fish but using gloves would def help. It's a hard one to call, but think he would be angry if you got involved. I remember a girl tried to head but me when I was young, my mum went to her house and I was angry as I told her not to. I think u may need to take a back seat?! just read other comments..is he interested in decorating cakes? Good money in that for weddings/birthdays etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Tom Kerridge is a very famous michelin starred chef in the UK. He is allergic to shellfish. He can handle shellfish (with latex gloves) but cannot taste his food. You need to explain that to him. It's not the end of his career just an adjustment of his practices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 A little update, got the phone call with the results, prawns and any crustacean will send him in to an anaphylactic shock, he also has a medium allergy to fish and squid. As we don't have an immunologist in Cairns, the dr made some phone calls and has got an immunologist to see him who is visiting cairns at the end of the month! its a 7am appointment but I don't care. He was gutted hearing this and I told him I would come in to work and chat. Well the owner wasn't in but the manageress was a wonderful girl although she said the owner would probably want him to leave but she phoned him up. The owner was wonderful and said he didn't want my sons dreams shattered he wouldn't be firing him and he would not work with seafood etc and would come in for a meeting tomorrow to have a chat with him. How lovely, my son is so happy. A lot of people called this owner to my son and told him not to work there because he was a bully, but my son still went there and I'm so thankful to the owner for giving him the chance in the first place and not firing him tonight, he may still do it tomorrow lol, but it sounds like he doesn't want to lose my son which is lovely. He told the manageress to tell my son there are lots of famous chefs he has worked with who have allergies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell123321 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 A little update, got the phone call with the results, prawns and any crustacean will send him in to an anaphylactic shock, he also has a medium allergy to fish and squid. As we don't have an immunologist in Cairns, the dr made some phone calls and has got an immunologist to see him who is visiting cairns at the end of the month! its a 7am appointment but I don't care.He was gutted hearing this and I told him I would come in to work and chat. Well the owner wasn't in but the manageress was a wonderful girl although she said the owner would probably want him to leave but she phoned him up. The owner was wonderful and said he didn't want my sons dreams shattered he wouldn't be firing him and he would not work with seafood etc and would come in for a meeting tomorrow to have a chat with him. How lovely, my son is so happy. A lot of people called this owner to my son and told him not to work there because he was a bully, but my son still went there and I'm so thankful to the owner for giving him the chance in the first place and not firing him tonight, he may still do it tomorrow lol, but it sounds like he doesn't want to lose my son which is lovely. He told the manageress to tell my son there are lots of famous chefs he has worked with who have allergies. That's wonderful reaction from the manager, hopefully he can still be the chief he wants to be (minus working with those seafood). That's also fantastic that the immunologist is going to come up to Cairns Happy that a positive situation has come from this negative news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz123 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 PQ, keep us updated once he has seen the immunologist. I am sure everyone is interested to hear how he goes and how things work out. :hug: To you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incata Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I have anaphylaxsis and in answer to your question, yes the epi-pen will save his life should it be required. However, in the UK, they suggest that at the same time, you take liquid anti-histamines which help stop the reaction (which is caused by histamines in the body). If you have not taken anti-histamines the Paramedics or Drs in Emergency will give you them. Don't bother with tablets as they take too long to be absorbed. When I (or my son) have an anaphylactic reaction our first line of defence is the hospital dose of liquid anti-histamines. I have used the epi-pen on a couple of occasions when it has taken the ambulance a long time to arrive and it does help. It is also correct that the reactions happen more quickly and are more severe each time. If your son has a reaction he will also be given steroids in the hospital and be told to take them for up to 5 days afterwards. You should also be aware (as should your son) that cross-contamination can be an issue and this can cause a much milder reaction. This is where the food causing the allergy has touched something else, but is not actually in it. It will often causes swelling and hives, but not actually cause the airway to close up. This milder reaction can be solved by taking the maximum adult daily dose of anti-histamine, although if you have any cause for concern, it gets worse or breathing becomes compromised, an ambulance should be called and an epipen administered. However it is great news about his boss and I hope your son manages to live with the allergy. It takes time to accept and get used to it, but in 6 months or so he will probably be quite blase about it. You, however, are likely to be terrified every time he eats something that contains any type of fish! I am allergic to sesame seeds and my MIL freaks out every time I eat anything with nuts in. No matter how many times I tell her I don't have a nut allergy, she thinks sesame is similar and therefore I must be allergic to anything which looks like a nut or a seed. She's coming out in a couple of months. Peanuts all round :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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