When Brittany Mahomes, wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, noticed her 10-month-old son, Bronze, fussing after exposure to peanuts, she knew something wasn’t right. Soon afterwards, he developed hives all over his body and face. When he refused his bottle, the mom of two thought his throat was closing and immediately took Bronze to the hospital. Mahomes, co-owner of the Kansas City Current soccer team, is sharing her story and her partnership with Kaleo, a privately-owned pharmaceutical company, to raise awareness about food allergies including emergency treatments such as Kaleo’s AUVI-q, the first and only FDA-approved epinephrine auto-injector for infants and toddlers 16.5 to 33 pounds.
Both of Mahomes’ children developed food allergies before the age of one which caught her and her NFLer husband by surprise: “Neither me nor my husband have any allergies so how did this come about?”
Mahomes has been in the news quite a bit over the last several years. Not only has her husband’s football team won the Super Bowl twice in the past four years but her friendship with music superstar, Taylor Swift, has gained global attention. Mahomes is using her massive platform to educate and empower parents of young children about allergies, including life-threatening signs and symptoms among infants and toddlers.
She has a message for parents of young children who can’t voice their health concerns like itchiness, swelling or difficulty breathing the way teenagers or adults can. “Advocate for your kids,” urges Mahomes. “Medications are available.”
Mahomes’ brush with her child’s health is a good opportunity to review allergies, one of the most common health conditions in the world. According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 3 adults and 1 in 4 children in the U.S. reported having a food or seasonal allergy or eczema in 2021. Over 50 million people in the U.S. have an allergic reaction each year. It’s the 6th-leading cause of long-term illness in the U.S.
Who Gets Allergies?
While a family history of allergies can increase one’s risk, allergies can affect people of all ages, races, genders and socioeconomic status, at any time. A surprising fact that Brittany Mahomes and her husband, Patrick, discovered after both of their children developed allergies.
What Exactly Are Allergies?
Allergies are essentially your body’s reaction to a foreign protein or allergen, most of which are harmless. In the case of an allergy to a specific allergen, your body’s immune system overreacts to the protein’s presence. The first time you encounter an allergen, your immune system responds by creating immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies which bind mast (i.e. allergy) cells that are found in the skin, airways and mucus membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. The antibodies find the allergens in your body, then help remove them by taking them to the mast cell which releases histamine, an immune system chemical that causes allergy symptoms.
Allergy Symptoms In Children Vs. Adults
Children with allergies often present with a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing; red, watery eyes; a rash or hives; or asthma symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing. In some cases, as experienced by Mahomes’ son, Bronze, a child can develop a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis which can manifest as difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, fainting or death. Adults with allergies experience almost all the same symptoms as children with allergies but can thankfully express their complaints such as an itchy rash, fatigue, headache, nausea and irritability.
How Are Allergies Treated?
After a detailed medical history, evaluation and testing, your doctor will recommend treatment based on the type and severity of allergies. Most mild allergic symptoms can be managed with over-the-counter medications such as loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), phenylephrine (Sudafed) or fluticasone (Flonase) nasal spray. Moderate-to-severe allergies may require prescriptions for inhaled steroids or bronchodilators, or immunotherapy to desensitize you to the allergens causing the symptoms. First-line treatment for anaphylaxis is epinephrine or adrenaline, available as an auto-injector, which Brittany Mahomes is advocating.
Moving Forward
How are Mahomes’ kids doing today? “They’re living their best lives,” says the relieved and happy mom. Mahomes and her husband have taken many steps to educate themselves and those around them about their children’s allergies including carrying emergency medications such as AUVI-q. They also removed peanut butter from their home. Once her kids go to school, she’ll inform teachers and staff about their kids’ allergies, just as all parents should inform schools about kids’ health conditions, if necessary. Of course, most staff at most schools are aware of allergies because they’re so common among children.
If you’re concerned about allergies in your child or someone you know, talk to your doctor and undergo the appropriate evaluation.
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