Man's death a stark reminder of food allergy risks

Tag : Peanuts Butter
Published: Friday, July 4, 2008

Man's death a stark reminder of food allergy risks
By Sharon Salyer , Herald Writer SEATTLE -- Daniel Sargent was at Magnuson Park on Sunday,celebrating a friend's 30th birthday.

About 90 seconds after taking a bite out of a chocolate chipcookie, he collapsed.

By chance, an Everett pulmonologist, a nurse and a medic wereattending the party. They administered CPR until aid crews arrived.

Sargent, 30, of Everett, was rushed to Harborview Medical Center.Medical staff battled for two days to help him overcome thecomplications of anaphylactic shock, an extreme allergic reactionthat blocked his breathing and deprived his brain of oxygen.

Doctors tried cooling his body for 24 hours and heavily sedatinghim, in the hope that his body could rest and recover.

Monday afternoon, his blood pressure skyrocketed and his heart ratedropped. Tuesday evening, two neurologists pronounced Sargent braindead.

All this, his family said, from taking one bite out of a homemadechocolate chip cookie, one that had just enough peanut butter totrigger his extreme allergic reaction.

Sargent, a Herald employee, was one of about 5,000 people who dieeach year nationally from anaphylactic shock, which can betriggered by common foods such as peanuts, shellfish and eggs, saidAngel Waldron, a spokeswoman for the Asthma and Allergy Foundationof America.

Peanuts are the most common source of fatal allergic reactions,said Dr. Paul McBride, an allergist at The Everett Clinic.

"Your blood pressure can go to zero while your airways swellclosed," he said. "And you have literally less than a minute todeal with it before people pass out. That's why immediate treatmentis so crucial."

Otherwise, he said, death can occur within seconds.

Because peanuts are both inexpensive and good sources of protein,they're used as ingredients in many different products, includingcookies, candies and pastries.

"It's a lot of products that people just put them in," McBridesaid.

"The people that are allergic are the ones that have to bevigilant. No one else will pay attention for them."

Sargent's family said they hope their loss is a reminder of howimportant it is to label food containing common allergens, even atpicnics and other community events.

"I don't want another parent to have to go through this," saidDavid Sargent, Daniel's father. "It's been proven that peanuts candrop you quick.

"You may be the world's greatest cook, but if it has peanuts in it,please label it. It can kill somebody."

Daniel Sargent, who graduated from Snohomish High School in 1996,worked at The Herald as a sports writer, covering soccer and highschool sports. He also worked as a medical assistant for SkagitValley Medical Center in Mount Vernon.

A memorial service is planned for later this month, his sister,Penny Sargent said.

His life-long interest in soccer began at age 5 when he first beganplaying the sport.

He began coaching for the Snohomish County Youth Soccer Club whenhe was 18 and continued his volunteer work for more than a decade.

He also participated with an indoor soccer organization inSnohomish as a coach, player and referee, his sister said.

The family first learned of his severe peanut allergy when he wasthree months old. A little peanut oil on his skin caused a rash andblisters, his father said.

And when he was a little older, a small piece of chocolate candycontaining peanut butter caused blistering in his month.

"We worked to keep peanut butter and peanut oils away from him,"his dad said.

The family always kept an EpiPen at the house, an emergency shot ofadrenaline that can be injected in an instant to counteract severeallergic reactions.

As an adult, his son decided not to carry one with him, he said,instead trying to be vigilant about what he was eating and havingan over-the-counter allergy medicine close at hand.

"This time, it just came too fast, too quick, and too deadly," hisdad said.

Daniel Sargent had listed his desire to be an organ donor on hisdriver's license. On Friday, his heart was used in transplantsurgery at the University of Washington, his sister said. Hisliver, kidneys and corneas also will be donated.

"Daniel was a very caring person," she said. "Giving the gift oflife to other people is what he wanted to do."

Food dangers

Foods that commonly cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergicreaction in children, include: eggs, peanuts, wheat and milk. Inadults, it's shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and other legumes.

Stings from bees, wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets also can causeanaphylaxis.

Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

For more information, check the Asthma and Allergy Foundation ofAmerica's Web site at www.aafa.org and click on the food allergieslink.