Daughter's mustard allergy has mother on guard
Cases are rare, but can be fatal
BRAINTREE -- Carol Evans knew her daughter had a peanut allergy. When Emily was 10 months old, she developed hives after touching peanut butter. What the mother of three never expected was that her youngest was also deathly allergic to mustard. Like many Americans, Evans never heard of a mustard allergy. That was until Emily almost died.
Emily Evans-Corkery, 3, is the picture of a rambunctious toddler. At the playground, steps from her apartment's door, the curly haired, light-eyed little girl runs around, climbs too high for her mother's liking, and giggles as high-pitched as they come.
"We knew about the peanut allergy, and the doctor recommended using Benadryl," Evans said. "Things were pretty good for about 30 months. Until Dec. 4, 2006." That evening, in the peanut-free Evans household, Emily put a piece of mustard-covered bread into her mouth, and her throat started to close up.
"Right away I saw hives that were the size of golf balls across her face, neck and shoulders. It went so fast, and there were these terrible throat sounds that I," Evans paused, "never heard before."
After an EpiPen Jr, Benadryl, a 911 call, and four hours in the emergency room, Emily was OK, and Evans was on a mission.
"I have done quite a bit of research," Evans said as she clutched a 6-inch pile of papers, printouts and notebooks. "My mother wonders how I remember all this stuff. I have to learn it for Emily."
"Mustard allergy is just as dangerous as any food allergy," said Dr. Michael Young, assistant professor at Harvard Medical school who specializes in food allergy. "Mustard, peanut, egg -- these are all allergies that have to be carefully managed."
Young, author of "The Peanut Allergy Answer Book," said symptoms vary, but food allergies in general can cause anything from skin irritation to death if untreated.
"Mustard is not the most common allergy, but it does occur," Young said. "Mustard is a spice, so I find it can be tricky. It is often added in the processing of deli meats and hot dogs."
Evans's sister walks Emily around the yard. The toddler happily plays, and her mother's concentration continually follows. She'll get her own EpiPen when she's old enough. Until then, her mother constantly keeps one hand close to a fanny pack.
"She can't go too far without the EpiPen," Evans said to her sister. "So she's gonna stay right around here, right? As long as you stay right with her, OK?"
Mustard allergy has been an adjustment for Evans. No birthday parties at fast food restaurants, no play dates at the pizza parlor, and a constant worrying feeling, she said.
Emily would typically start preschool in the fall, but she will be held back a year.
"I'm really considering looking into possibly home schooling unless there's something that I can really be assured she can be safe -- maybe a special place where the school is free of peanuts," Evans said. "Free of mustard is a stretch, a little bit."
Mustard allergy is a growing concern in Europe. A 2003 article in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology claimed mustard was the fourth most prevalent food allergen in children, behind eggs, peanuts, and milk. Exposure can lead to anaphylaxis; the best "treatment" is to avoid mustard altogether.
Since 2005, European countries have required manufacturers to clearly label foods that contain mustard, according to the British Food Standards Agency website. No such requirement exists in the United States.
"The FDA makes the [labeling] decision, and they've chosen to label the eight most common food allergies: milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish," Young said. "I think it's a shame . . . but they feel they have to draw the line somewhere."
"Labeling would be a great idea," Evans said. "What would make me feel comfortable is to know mustard gets the attention that is due. If they don't put it on products, people are going to get hurt." 