A food-related allergy led to tragedy for a Northampton family vacationing at Walt Disney World.

The Northampton Chronicle cited that an inquest had been opened into Nine-year-old Ava-Grace Stevens’s death, which occurred on October 28th, 2019. The girl was with her family when she suffered from what a pathologist would later declare as an “acute exacerbation of asthma in the context of probable food allergen exposure.”

Young Ava had recently finished eating dinner when she and her brother both exhibited symptoms of an allergy. Though the family had taken strict precautions to make sure the food was safe, something slipped by. The children’s severe allergy to cow’s milk was the culprit.

The parents tried to revive Ava while awaiting paramedics. The little girl was taken to an unnamed hospital, but nothing could be done to save her.

Where exactly this occurred is not clear. The article mentions a villa, but not if it was a Disney-owned property. We searched for more details on this story, but little-to-no information was readily available. Typically stories like these get plastered all over the national headlines.

The takeaway from this is that those who suffer from food allergies, myself included, must take every precaution to ensure what we’re eating isn’t dangerous. Ava’s father, Geoffrey, said, “In the run up to the holiday Shelley and I took Ava to visit the doctors. We also got extra prescription medication for the holiday. We did everything we could to ensure they were not around dairy products.”

However, he noted that food labels found here in the states weren’t as clear to read as those he was used to in the UK. I can attest to this myself.

Even at the best restaurants, the staff may not be aware of what is in the food. If you have a fish allergy, just food plated with the same utensil that’s touched the fish is enough to invoke a reaction.

A crowdfunding campaign was started for the family, which exceeded its goal. Being a father, I find this heartbreaking. If your child suffers from food allergies and you’re traveling, please check out the Family Destinations Guide. This resource provides on how to prepare for trips when traveling with people who have allergies.

[Source: Northampton Chronicle]