NEW: Food Allergy Emergency Care Plan Empowers Self-Care and Reduces Health Care Costs
AAFA leads research on serious allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis
Washington, DC, Aug. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) announces the availability of the first validated food allergy anaphylaxis action plan, including versions for children under age 3 and children age 3 and up – available in English, Spanish, and several other languages. The plan helps you assess signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction and make decisions on what steps to take next.
“A serious allergic reaction triggered by food allergies can be a scary, stressful event,” said AAFA Chief Medical Officer Matthew Greenhawt, MD. “Having a clear action plan provides a source of calm and stability in a challenging time where minutes matter. This new plan is based on the latest guidance and research from the Allergy Joint Taskforce on Practice Parameters and designed with direct patient input to provide flexible options on how to manage a reaction. We encourage parents and caregivers of kids with food allergies to use this ‘decision aid’ approach.”
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that can be triggered by food allergens as well as by insect stings or bites, latex, and some medicines. It progresses rapidly and may involve multiple body organ systems. Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis. On average, it is estimated that anaphylaxis results in 45,000-50,000 emergency room visits in the United States each year, with food being the most common trigger.
Following joint development by investigators and patients, leading anaphylaxis experts and researchers tested and validated AAFA’s anaphylaxis action plan in a first-of-its-kind research study. This plan, the first to use the updated 2023 anaphylaxis guidelines, provides language for age-specific symptoms, and offers medication options which cover all current forms of epinephrine as well as rescue asthma inhalers containing formoterol (e.g. SMART therapy).
AAFA’s Food Allergy Emergency Care Plan provides information and instructions on how to manage an allergic reaction. It includes:
- Symptoms to watch in infants/toddlers or people ages 3 and older (including children, teens, and adults)
- Instructions for using epinephrine
- How to decide when emergency medical care is needed
“Many people hesitate to use the appropriate treatment (epinephrine) for anaphylaxis for different reasons,” said Melanie Carver, Chief Mission Officer at AAFA. “Previous guidance told people that anaphylaxis always required a 911 call. Evidence shows that when treated promptly, the symptoms often resolve, and many people do not need additional medical care. This plan now follows the updated guidelines from the allergy professional societies and helps people observe their symptoms, use their epinephrine, watch for the treatment response, and decide when they need to seek emergency care.”
Why the Change?
Prior research found the typical advice to “always” call 911/EMS and seek emergency care after epinephrine use less cost-effective when compared to an approach where EMS is only called if the reaction fails to start to resolve after a few minutes of watching. Fewer than 10% of patients require an additional dose of epinephrine, meaning most patients are OK on arrival at the emergency room, and do not need further care once in the emergency room. Worse, research suggests patients are hesitant to administer epinephrine, a decision that some may make to avoid costly emergency room visits and ambulance rides. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this “watchful waiting” approach demonstrated success as a way to avoid potential COVID exposure in busy emergency rooms and prioritize sicker patients receiving care. This new plan allows caregivers and patients to choose which path they prefer. For those who prefer to still call EMS, that remains an option. But patients and caregivers who do not prefer to do so now may choose the option of watching at home. This plan provides a guideline as to when this option is more or less appropriate, based on the patient’s symptoms.
The Bottom Line
Anyone experiencing signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis should receive epinephrine right away. The medicine works quickly to resolve symptoms. After administering epinephrine, patients/caregivers can use AAFA’s Allergy Emergency Care Plan to help determine if they should watch and wait or proceed to call 911.
Download a copy of the plan at aafa.org/allergyplan. It is currently available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Burmese, Indonesian, Korean, and Portuguese, with additional languages coming soon.
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About the Research
AAFA conducted this research and developed the action plan in collaboration with allergy experts and co-authors listed below. An educational grant provided a portion of the project funding. The funder played no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or the development of the action plan. AAFA and the authors retained full editorial control over the content.
Between August 2023 and November 2024, AAFA and allergy experts developed the allergy action plan and improved it over several stages of feedback. The action plan includes a “watchful waiting” approach, the addition of a new nasal epinephrine option, and age-specific anaphylaxis symptoms. AAFA assessed the action plan in collaboration with a team of allergy experts and patient advocates. Initial assessment focused on medical accuracy, readability, clarity, and bias. AAFA then conducted a validation study to assess decisional acceptability, conflict, and self-efficacy among 229 individuals at risk of anaphylaxis or caregivers of children at risk of anaphylaxis. The results showed the final action plan had good acceptability, high decisional self-efficacy, and moderate decisional conflict.
Anagnostou, A., Abrams, E. M., Anderson, W. C., Carver, M., Eftekhari, S., Golden, D. B., Jaffee, H., Lieberman, J. A., Mack, D. P., Mustafa, S. S., Shaker, M. S., Spergel, J. M., Stukus, D. R., Wang, J., & Greenhawt, M. (2025). Development of a Validated, Updated North American Pediatric Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Management Plan. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2025.03.027
About AAFA
Founded in 1953, AAFA is the oldest and largest non-profit patient organization dedicated to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease for people with asthma, allergies, and related conditions through research, education, advocacy, and support. AAFA offers extensive support for individuals and families affected by asthma and allergic diseases, such as food allergies and atopic dermatitis (eczema). Through its online patient support communities, network of regional chapters, and collaborations with community-based groups, AAFA empowers patients and their families by providing practical, evidence-based information and community programs and services. AAFA is the only asthma and allergy patient advocacy group that is certified to meet the standards of excellence set by the National Health Council. For more information, visit: aafa.org and kidswithfoodallergies.org
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Andy Spears Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America 2029741223 media@aafa.org
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