Action to Take if You Think You’ve had an Allergic Reaction to Latex:
If you have serious difficulty breathing, call 911 and request epinephrine.
If you are having a rash and other allergic symptoms that do not appear to be life-threatening, contact and see your physician as soon as possible. Your physician will refer you to an allergist/immunologist for further evaluation, diagnosis and treatment.
Action to Take After Being Diagnosed with a Latex Allergy:
Wear medical alert identification
Carry with you at all times:
Medications as prescribed by your allergistNon-latex glovesLetter from your allergist about your latex allergy statusAvoid:
All natural rubber latex productsNotify the following of your latex allergy and other pertinent information:
Local EMS911 dispatchLocal hospitalMedical and dental providersFamily members, friends, employer and co-workers“Latex Safe” Protocol
Your physician, dentist and hospital should have a “latex-safe” protocol for patients with latex allergies – before your visit with your doctor or hospital stay, contact them to make sure they have a latex-safe protocol in place for your safety, and that latex precautions are in place BEFORE your visit or procedure.
Consult with your allergist about:
Proper use of all medicationsFoods and plants with cross-reactive proteins to natural rubber"Hidden" latex on food prepared with latex glovesSynthetic rubber (non-latex) gloves
Type I natural latex allergy does not occur in response to synthetic rubber and these gloves are required when treating a patient with known Type I immediate reaction latex allergy. Unfortunately, synthetic rubber (non-latex) gloves still contain some chemical allergens that can cause serious Type IV allergic reactions (contact dermatitis).
