Denise Saldate, 11, died of an allergic reaction to her toothpaste, which contained milk protein. Devastated, her mother now warns parents and encourages them to carefully read the labels of the products they buy.
“She was my sunshine, she was the light of my life”. Denise Saldate was 11 years old. On April 6, this little girl from West Covina, California, died of an allergy caused by a product whose dangerousness her parents had not been able to detect: toothpaste.
A milk protein in toothpaste
In an interview with the site Allergic Living, Denise’s mother, Monique Altamirano, says she took her daughter to the dentist on April 4 because her teeth had stains. The latter then prescribed him a medicated toothpaste, MI Paste One. Formulated to strengthen tooth enamel, it contains Recaldent, a derivative of a protein found in cow’s milk.
Only here, Denise is allergic to milk proteins. If a warning appears on the tube of MI Paste One toothpaste, the mother of the little girl admits not having thought to check the presence of allergens. And neither does his daughter. “She was just excited at the idea of having a special toothpaste”, regrets Monique Altamirano, who claims to have peeled toothpaste instructions for years without ever having found any trace of milk.
Shortly after brushing her teeth with the toothpaste, the girl became worried that she was allergic to it. “She said, ‘I think I have an allergic reaction to toothpaste,’ and her lips were already blue,” her mother said. “I picked her up and put her on my bed. I ran into the living room, and I said to my other daughter, ‘Call 911!’ – and I grabbed the EpiPen.” She administered it and also gave Denise her asthma inhaler.
But the young girl could already not breathe. His mother then gave him cardiac massage while waiting for help to arrive. Rushed to hospital, Denise died there two days later.
“Don’t be overconfident”
Little Denise died of anaphylaxis, which is “the most severe manifestation of allergy: it corresponds to a generalized reaction, at risk of recurrence”, specifies the Inserm website. “Nearly 5% of allergic people are affected by this type of reaction. Anaphylactic shock is itself the most severe form of anaphylaxis. Potentially fatal, it constitutes an absolute medical emergency” and requires the use of epinephrine – the main ingredient in an EpiPen – and emergency medical help. Although most people recover, anaphylaxis can be fatal, especially in young children.
Devastated by the death of her daughter, Monique Altamirano has now given herself a mission: to make parents of allergic children aware of always reading the instructions and lists of food ingredients.
“Read everything. Don’t get overconfident just because you’ve been doing it for several years,” she cautions. In all situations, she advises, “Don’t be uncomfortable, don’t be embarrassed, and don’t be afraid to make sure the ingredients are safe. Do this for your child.”
In her tribute to her daughter at the funeral, Monique Altamirano implored “those who are aware to share their knowledge and educate those who are unfamiliar with anaphylaxis and the severity of this disease”. She hopes “that by sharing her story, families, carers, school staff and people in general will take this disease more seriously and that all items will be checked for ingredients, even those that may seem out of order.” about.”
She also said her daughter’s “legacy of love, compassion and generosity” will continue through organ donation. Denise’s uncle created a Gofundme page to help the family with funeral expenses, which raised more than $26,000.
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