# Allergy/ Anaphlaxis Emergency Treatment in Dubai



## KHmummy (Apr 7, 2016)

Hi Everyone, 

I am really nervous about moving to Dubai from London as my 4yr old son has a few food allergies, and has to carry an Epipen around with him. I have been searching on the internet to see if there is any awareness in the UAE on the severity of food related allergic reactions and if any hospitals are equipped to deal with anaphylaxis both with medication and professional doctors in the emergency rooms, and how quick the ambulance's response time is? 

Can anyone tell me if there a re any good hospitals there that know how to deal with this? 

Is there anyone who has had any experience with a reaction in Dubai?

I would really love some feedback as I am really worried and almost don't want to move.

Kindest Regards,
KHMummy


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
All hospitals with emergency rooms are fully equipped to deal with this very common occurrence.
Any of the schools our son has attended are nut free - so they are also very food allergy aware.
Ambulance response times are generally quicker than the UK.
Cheers
Steve


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## KHmummy (Apr 7, 2016)

Hi Steve,

Thank you for getting back to me. Is there any particular hospitals as i want to be able to find out if i can see a consultant there for the Allergies and what i should do to ensure that i get comfort from them knowing how to deal with such an occurrence (should it happen). I appreciate you mentioning they are all equipped to deal with such an occurrence, i would just like to know what they would do. I am just trying to compare the procedures and knowledge to the UK as he has more than 1 allergy. Plus i have noticed that restaurants are not all aware of cross contamination...are there any you'd be able to recommend that i can get in touch with to see if they can cater for my boy?

Moving to a new country with no idea of how they will deal with an event is so daunting - it really helps to know if others are in the same boat and if they are confident there are hospitals and ambulances that an deal with a reaction. Any information/ advice is really appreciated.

Regards,
KHmummy


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
My wife is an ER consultant and our son is allergic to certain nuts - so I speak from great experience on this matter!
What things is your child allergic to?
If we eat in a restaurant - we don't trust the menu or the waiter - we always insist on speaking to the chef to confirm the ingredients used.
Cheers
Steve


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## KHmummy (Apr 7, 2016)

Hi Steve,

Oh wow! that is really reassuring! I do the same here when eating out. Are there any restaurants you'd recommend?

My son is allergic to Dairy, Sesame seeds, Salmon, All tree nuts and peanuts. So it's tricky going out.

My concern has always been on the response time of ambulances and whether hospitals can deal with the reaction if it is anaphylactic. Are all the hospitals well equipped or certain ones? and would they be the private or government ones? and where do the ambulances normally take you, or can you request? (of course in that situation - it would have to be the nearest hospital at that time i suppose).

Your time is much appreciated.

Regards,
S


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

KHmummy said:


> Hi Steve,
> 
> Oh wow! that is really reassuring! I do the same here when eating out. Are there any restaurants you'd recommend?
> 
> ...


Hi,
Emergency ambulances are equipped like any other western country and take people to the nearest government hospital - the ER departments are generally staffed by western trained consultants who will give the right treatment.
Your bigger problem will be eating out with the range of allergies that you mention - you will need to build up a list of trusted restaurants.
Cheers
Steve


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## KHmummy (Apr 7, 2016)

Steve,

It is great to know that you understand exactly what my concerns would be as a parent. I of course, will have a good conversation with the chef before ever feed my little one...i hope you don't mind, but if i have any further questions, can i come back to you?

2 last q's: 

1) are there any restaurants you'd recommend where the chef is well versed in cross contamination and helpful when preparing dishes?

2) What type of medical or health insurance should we look to get cover for? in case we need to cover all the cost of treatment etc.

I was also thinking of helping set up a campaign to increase awareness in Dubai and for everyone to understand what having an allergy means, as well as for the catering industry. Would you recommend it?

Regards,
S


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

KHmummy said:


> Steve,
> 
> It is great to know that you understand exactly what my concerns would be as a parent. I of course, will have a good conversation with the chef before ever feed my little one...i hope you don't mind, but if i have any further questions, can i come back to you?
> 
> ...


Hi,
1) - no - because your child has different allergies to ours and chefs change frequently.
2) - most companies provide medical insurance for their employees and often for their families. Check once you get here that the cover is adequate for your needs and if necessary pay a little extra to upgrade to the next level.
3) - food allergies are a very western thing - so don't apply for the majority of residents in Dubai. Professional chefs know all about it - you soon tell which know when you speak with them. Campaign is therefore not necessary.
Cheers
Steve


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Any campaign is of no relevance to the authorities as its 'inshallah' and this is from our hosts whose children tend to be literally unrestrained in the back of a car. I think the OP needs to read up a bit more on the culture here and its approach to risk. What is means to people here isnt really very nice - it means trouble for them and you're most likely to be greeted with indifference.

A large proportion of the food here has nuts as its ingredients - be it food from the subcontinent or Arabic foods. I guess it depends upon the degree of sensitivity but given that 60% of the population is likely to have had ground nuts in one form or another in the last 24 hours, then avoiding them is going to be a bit tricky ?

I'm not expert on ambulances here but when I've seen or ehard them, they don;t seem to be in a rush.

Personally, I'd give it a second or third thought as the Middle East isnt the kind of place which pays much attention to these kinds of issues - I can't think of a nicer way to put it (sorry). !


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## FourAgreements (Mar 19, 2014)

*Restaurants*

Hi,

Just want to add an anecdote and my two cents' worth:

The Cycle Bistro in Motor City, a PALEO restaurant, once served me a cappuccino with regular dairy in it. (I noticed after a couple of sips that it was too yummy and too foamy to be almond milk.) When I asked the waitress why they would do that?? as they are a PALEO restaurant and used to only serve almond milk, she said it was because people had been asking for it. SMH. I said, but this is a PALEO restaurant...!!?? I got the BLANK STARE which, if you move to Dubai, you will become very familiar with.

The least they could have done was ask which 'milk' I wanted. But those kinds of critical thinking skills are notably absent from most wait staff I encountered in my time there.

Fortunately I'm only very lactose-intolerant.

(To be fair, I've been given a bowl of 'gluten-free' soup with a piece of regular gluten bread on the side, in CANADA. But when I pointed it out to the waitress, at least she quickly understood the incompatibility.)

As I'm sure you well know, restaurants are tricky anywhere with food intolerances or worse - those pesky anaphylactic-type allergies. As with anywhere else in the world, the onus will be on you to be hyper-vigilant and always ask.

On the bright side, there are a few bakeries around making allergen-free treats. Also, start looking on Facebook and you will probably find a few groups to join that will have residents who have already done a lot of research, will know the places to go to, and to avoid, and who can steer you in the right direction. 

Good luck!





KHmummy said:


> Are there any restaurants you'd recommend?
> 
> My son is allergic to Dairy, Sesame seeds, Salmon, All tree nuts and peanuts. So it's tricky going out.


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## KHmummy (Apr 7, 2016)

Thank you both twowheelsgood and fouragreements, i appreciate the tips and advice, and quite rightly hunting around and being hyper vigilant is probably best. I normally cook for him and take the food everywhere with me.

We are going to make a trip to Dubai soon, so I will check out facebook too. I am really happy to hear from Steve that with the experience he has with a child having a nut allergy and his wife an ER consultant in Dubai that states that all hospitals are well equipped, gives me some confidence, albeit a little nervously.



Regards,
S


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## imac (Oct 14, 2012)

an old-ish thread but something that has not been mentioned that deserves a mention... incase someone comes across through a search...

if your child has an epipen, then the one thing you have to look out for if you do decide to move here is to make sure you will have the ability to replace the epipen from overseas as needed... epipens are notoriously hard to come by here for normal people (read - not connected with government pharmacies), and when you are lucky enough to find them, the expiry dates are quite short... sometimes just a couple of months... not to mention they are expensive here and most insurance does not cover them...


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## Durise (Mar 1, 2016)

This is a very common issue and Dubai's all hospitals are fully ready to give treatment of this problem.


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## KHmummy (Apr 7, 2016)

Thank you Durise and Imac, 

I have extra epipens and can get hold of them quick if needed. I'm very relieved to hear that all the Dubai hospitals can treat the patient and they have experience of dealing with Allergic reactions.

I am both excited and nervous, but relieved to find a community that is willing to give their opinion and help with advice on this forum. Thank you all.

Regards
S


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