Kiss of Death...

[Kdfelicity]

Teen Dies Of Peanut Allergy After Kiss From Boyfriend
Girl Given Shot Of Adrenaline Almost Immediately

POSTED: 2:25 pm CST November 28, 2005
UPDATED: 10:31 am CST November 29, 2005

SAGUENAY, Quebec -- A 15-year-old girl with a peanut allergy died after kissing her boyfriend, who had just eaten a peanut butter snack, hospital officials said Monday.

Christina Desforges died in a Quebec hospital Wednesday after doctors were unable to treat her allergic reaction to the kiss the previous weekend.

Desforges, who lived in Saguenay, about 155 miles north of Quebec City, was almost immediately given a shot of adrenaline, a standard tool for treating the anaphylactic shock brought on by a peanut allergy, officials said.

An autopsy was being performed. Dr. Nina Verreault, an allergist at the Chicoutimi Hospital in Saguenay, declined to comment on the case.

The symptoms of peanut allergy can include hives, plunging blood pressure and swelling of the face and throat, which can block breathing.

Peanut allergies have been rising in recent decades. The reason remains unclear, but one study found that baby creams or lotions with peanut oil may cause children to develop allergies later in life.

About 1.5 million Americans are severely allergic to even the smallest trace of peanuts, and peanut allergies account for 50 to 100 deaths in the United States each year.

Rhoda Kagan, peanut allergist at Montreal Children's Hospital, said Desforges' case is "very rare and worrisome" she said.

Reactions will depend on personal medical history and on how much peanut substance was ingested.

Although giving a shot of adrenaline is requested immediately following such an attack, hospitalization is usually required to monitor progress as 20 to 30 percent of cases patients can have a recurring attack, Kagan said.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



What a sad, sad thing...

[pache100]

My first reaction to this story was...if this guy was her boyfriend, how come he didn't know she had a problem like this (why would he eat peanut butter and then kiss her if he knew?). My second reaction was...MAYBE HE DID KNOW.

I just have a real problem with this peanut butter allergy thing. I think it's about time someone developed a vaccine for it or something. I think it's ridiculous to punish 99.9 percent of society for a problem .1 percent of the population has. Peanuts and peanut by-products are in just about everything, for crying out loud. How did this get started, anyway?

[Kdfelicity]

My first reaction to this story was...if this guy was her boyfriend, how come he didn't know she had a problem like this (why would he eat peanut butter and then kiss her if he knew?). My second reaction was...MAYBE HE DID KNOW.

I just have a real problem with this peanut butter allergy thing. I think it's about time someone developed a vaccine for it or something. I think it's ridiculous to punish 99.9 percent of society for a problem .1 percent of the population has. Peanuts and peanut by-products are in just about everything, for crying out loud. How did this get started, anyway?

Maybe he did know about her allergy but didn't know that there are other ways of reacting to it other than actually eating it.

Where I work when preparing lunches for kids with peanut allergies, we have to wash our hands if we've handled other childrens' peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and most of the peanut allergy kids have to sit at another table because almost every other kid has a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

And I agree, they do need to develop something for the allergy. I couldn't go without peanut butter and most places DO cook with it, especially fast food places.

[pache100]

Where I work when preparing lunches for kids with peanut allergies, we have to wash our hands if we've handled other childrens' peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and most of the peanut allergy kids have to sit at another table because almost every other kid has a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I can see that. My pet peeve is when someone with a peanut allergy travels on an airplane, they call ahead and the airline will not put peanuts on the plane for anyone. So, we all have to pay because someone is allergic. Those people need to start driving or walking! (just kidding!)

Truthfully, though, many airlines have gotten away from the peanuts altogether because of this. A lot of them only serve pretzels or cheese crackers on snack-and-beverage only flights nowadays.

[Kdfelicity]

I can see that. My pet peeve is when someone with a peanut allergy travels on an airplane, they call ahead and the airline will not put peanuts on the plane for anyone. So, we all have to pay because someone is allergic. Those people need to start driving or walking! (just kidding!)

Truthfully, though, many airlines have gotten away from the peanuts altogether because of this. A lot of them only serve pretzels or cheese crackers on snack-and-beverage only flights nowadays.

I had no idea about that. I wondered why you don't really get peanuts anymore.

I'm wondering why more and more people are starting to get the allergy.

[CosmicCowboy]

they lied to you. You don't get peanuts because pretzels are cheaper.

[boutons]

I get peanuts on nearly every Southwest flight.

[Shelly]

they lied to you. You don't get peanuts because pretzels are cheaper.

I have a friend who's a flight attendant for American. You don't get anything anymore!

My oldest has nut allergies. He may have outgrown them now. I know he's not allergic to peanuts because he's eaten peanut oil and doesn't react. But he's broken out in hives from walnuts and pecans. However, the last time was when he was around five.

Very sad, though.

[Kdfelicity]

That's not very nice...

Poor girl probably died cuz her bf wasn't thinking...

[pache100]

they lied to you. You don't get peanuts because pretzels are cheaper.

That is true and it's a side benefit for the airlines. But it's not the reason they stopped having them. Too many of them feared lawsuits because of inadvertent peanut contamination to these people who suffer from this allergy.

I get peanuts on nearly every Southwest flight.

SW is one of the few airlines who still serve peanuts on their flights. But, they do not if someone on a flight notifies them they have a peanut allergy.

I have a friend who's a flight attendant for American. You don't get anything anymore!

That's true, too. My brother has a friend who is an AA pilot. He complains all the time now because he has to carry his own snacks when he works.

[Kdfelicity]

Do they still do the full meals at nighttime? It's been a long time since I've flown at night...

[pache100]

Do they still do the full meals at nighttime? It's been a long time since I've flown at night...

I think it depends on the length of the flight more than the time of day. The last flight I had more than snack-and-beverage service on was a Continental flight to DC, and we had breakfast...bagel/muffin or cereal. That was a couple of years ago, though. Last time I flew to DC was this past June and Delta had the government contract again; the flight left at 6:15 AM (connection in Atlanta) and we had only snack-and-beverage service! Pretzels at 6:45 AM!!

[Kdfelicity]

See I'm thinking they don't even do meals anymore.

[pache100]

See I'm thinking they don't even do meals anymore.

Maybe not on CONUS flights; I think they probably still have meals on overseas flights. I always just take nutri-grain bars, crackers, and bottled water in my backpack with me when I fly.

[desflood]

Fly Midwest Airlines if you can. They're cheaper, and they bake you chocolate chip cookies on the flight, I sh*t you not.

[Kdfelicity]

That is specfreakintacular. Do they do full meals too?

[pache100]

Fly Midwest Airlines if you can. They're cheaper, and they bake you chocolate chip cookies on the flight, I sh*t you not.

I've heard that. I have never flown on Midwest. The only airline I will never use again is America West (didn't they merge with somebody, anyway?). Very bad experience with them going to Vegas a couple of years ago!

[SpursWoman]

I bring my own snacks.


On flights that do serve meals...if any still do....find out before hand and you can order off a special menu. At least you used to be able to....you pay extra for it but it's worth it. One flight my dad (the uber-traveller) went on he called ahead of time and ordered these awesome, gigantic shrimp salads....everyone else that didn't know you could special order got the usual "WTF is that?". I thought we were going to get beat down for our food.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

On longer flights you get a true meal. I flew AA to LA and had a meal, same for flight to Hawaii.

Truthfully, though, many airlines have gotten away from the peanuts altogether because of this. A lot of them only serve pretzels or cheese crackers on snack-and-beverage only flights nowadays.

It's a nice excuse but really comes down to cost

[N.Y. Johnny]

This story is nuts!

[Kdfelicity]

On longer flights you get a true meal. I flew AA to LA and had a meal, same for flight to Hawaii.

Wow, we should all be so lucky to fly to Hawaii and get a bonus true meal... :p

[Kdfelicity]

This story is nuts!

I know. I would expect the bf to feel like .

[pache100]

I know. I would expect the bf to feel like .

Maybe...unless he knew EXACTLY what he was doing?

[easjer]

This story is nuts!

hardeee har har







And yes, they do still serve meals on overseas flights; at least my British friends ate on their flights to the states and back this year, and my editor friend took her husband to France for their anniversary and they ate on flight.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

The girl was 15, and the kid was probably the same age. I don't think he necesarily had to know. Relationships at that age aren't lasting, perhaps they'd been together for just a short period of time. My point is everyone is so either to blame the guy, "why didn't he know?", "he probably did know", "he wasn't thinking!". Why couldn't he just not know because she never told him huh? lol Either way, its a freak accident.