[Recognizing anaphylaxis in the emergency department].

Relatively little is known about the characteristics of patients who visit the emergency department for acute allergic reaction. The earliest symptoms are swelling of tissues, sweating, restlessness, itching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing or wheezing. Hypotension, circulatory failure and cardiac arrest may occur suddenly, often associated with bronchial spasm or laryngeal oedema. The objective of this review is to describe the child with severe acute allergic reaction in emergency department.