Anaphylaxis First Aid: The 7 Mistakes That Cost Time in WA

Introduction: Why Mistakes Matter When Every Second Counts

When anaphylaxis begins, symptoms can escalate from mild to life-threatening in minutes. There is no room for hesitation or guesswork. Western Australia continues to record increasing anaphylaxis presentations, especially among teenagers and young adults. Coronial reports across Australia repeat the same story: delayed adrenaline, poor symptom recognition, and uncertainty about what to do.

As a First Aid Trainer in WA, I see these patterns every week across schools, childcare centres, sport clubs, FIFO sites, workplaces, and community groups. The important thing is that these mistakes are preventable. Once you understand what slows people down, you can respond faster, more calmly, and with far more confidence.

Here are the seven mistakes that cost time, and how to avoid them.

1. Hesitating to Use the Adrenaline Auto injector

The number one mistake is waiting too long.

People hesitate because they are unsure if it is really anaphylaxis, they worry about overdosing, or they fear doing the wrong thing. The truth is simple: adrenaline is safe. Delay is not.

ASCIA guidelines clearly state that if you are unsure, give the adrenaline autoinjector. There is no medical downside to early adrenaline, but the risk of waiting is significant. Coronial findings repeatedly show fatal outcomes linked to delayed adrenaline.

Giving adrenaline early saves lives.

2. Looking for Skin Symptoms and Missing Life-Threatening Signs

One in five anaphylaxis cases present with no skin symptoms at all.

No rash, no swelling, no hives.

Serious and fatal cases often include breathing difficulty, sudden wheezing, throat tightness, or collapse. Misdiagnosis as asthma is a common factor in coronial reviews. ASCIA guidance is clear: any sudden breathing problem after exposure to a likely allergen requires immediate adrenaline.

Breathing issues are the danger sign, not skin changes.

3. Using Antihistamines Instead of Adrenaline

This mistake is frighteningly common.

Antihistamines do not treat the dangerous parts of anaphylaxis. They do not reverse airway swelling, do not fix breathing problems, and do not stop a reaction from progressing. They only help mild itch.

By the time someone gives an antihistamine and waits for a response, critical time is lost. Only adrenaline stops the life-threatening symptoms.

4. Sitting the Person Upright or Allowing Them to Walk

This is one of the most dangerous mistakes.

During anaphylaxis, blood vessels dilate and blood pressure drops rapidly. If the person stands or walks, even briefly, they can collapse suddenly. Coronial reports call this posture collapse, and it is preventable.

ASCIA recommends laying the person flat with legs elevated. If they are struggling to breathe, allow them to sit with legs stretched forward, but do not let them stand or walk. Pregnant individuals should be positioned on their left side.

Correct posture prevents sudden collapse.

5. Not Calling an Ambulance After Giving Adrenaline

Using the autoinjector is step one. Calling triple zero (000) is step two.

Symptoms can return, more doses may be needed, and airway swelling can worsen. Paramedics also treat biphasic reactions, which can occur hours later. Never assume someone is fine because they feel better after adrenaline.

Call 000 every time.

6. Failing to Keep the Auto injector Accessible

Many emergencies escalate because the autoinjector is locked away, forgotten, expired, or simply missing.

In the WA coronial case involving Wallace Bryers, the lack of immediate access to adrenaline was a contributing factor.

Your autoinjector must be visible, labelled, checked monthly, and stored with your first aid kit. Seconds matter.

7. Not Knowing the ASCIA Action Plan

An action plan is powerful only when people know how to use it.

During training, I regularly see people freeze because they have never practised with an autoinjector trainer or read the plan properly. A laminated sheet cannot save lives. Skill and confidence do.

Make your plan active, not passive.

Final Thoughts: These Mistakes Are Preventable

WA is seeing more food reactions, venom reactions, medication-triggered anaphylaxis, and exercise-induced reactions. The faster you recognise symptoms and respond, the higher the chance of survival.

You do not rise under pressure. You fall to the level of your training.

Call to Action for WA Schools, Workplaces, and Community Groups

If your organisation needs practical anaphylaxis training that builds calm, capable responders, I can help.

Book onsite training anywhere in Western Australia.
Download ASCIA Action Plans for your team.
Contact Britt for tailored workplace and regional sessions.