My family (self, husband, 14 year old daughter and 12 year old son) will be traveling to Paris in July. Our son is allergic to peanuts and some tree nuts, so must avoid them all. I've ordered the food allergy translation cards and will certainly carry epinephrine and Benadryl, but I was wondering what other precautions we need to take. This will be his first trip to a non-English speaking country. Does anyone know if French ambulances carry epinephrine just in case? (This is not always the case here in the US). Are people there understanding of food allergies and do they take them seriously? Have you had recent experience dealing with a food allergy in a foreign country?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23245 posts
I don't have any direct experience you situation but wanted to comment on the French ambulances. They are much better equiped than US ambulances. American ambulances follow the practice of "scoop and scoot." That is -- get the patient to the emergency room as quickly as possible and treat in route to best of their ability. French ambulance service is more of a rolling emergency room and treat on site to stabilize the patient before moving at a more leisurely pace (relatively speaking) to the hospital. Therefore, I assume they would be more likely to carry epinephrine.
Posted by
PNW
194 posts
Ashley-I would be very wary of desserts, especially. My daughter has a severe nut allergy, and while on tour with her choir, one of the chaperones (a doctor), told me that many desserts in Europe are made with ground nuts as a base instead of a flour base. I know this was really true in Italy, but would imagine this could be true in France also. Later, while studying abroad in Rome, she asked a shopkeeper if their special Easter dessert came without nuts. She was lectured about the significance of this traditional dessert, but when she explained that she had a severe allergy to nuts, the woman wanted to rush home and make her a special one without nuts! No hesitation! I think you'll find that people will be very understanding.