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5
“AITA For Refusing To Pay Medical Bills For My Roommate’s Son After He Had An Allergic Reaction?”
Interview With ExpertAllergies are not something to be taken lightly.
So, understandably, when this Redditor realized their roommate had left her toddler alone with them—and the child had eaten the one thing he was allergic to—they immediately called 911 to get him help.
But instead of gratitude, the child’s mom was furious about how the situation was handled. And now she wants them to cover the hospital bill.
Read the full story below.
RELATED:
The woman left her toddler at home with her roommate, expecting nothing to go wrong
Image credits: www.slon.pics/Freepik (not the actual photo)
But when she returned to find the child had an allergic reaction, she was not happy with the way it was dealt with
Image credits: Lorena Villarreal/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: ty_allergicbaby
Just how dangerous can a fruit allergy be?
Image credits: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Allergies are uncomfortable at best and potentially dangerous at worst, yet they’re also extremely common.
Globally, a significant percentage of people experience some form of allergy, with estimates ranging from 10% to 40%, depending on the type and region.
When it comes to food, specifically, the most common allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. These are considered “major” allergens and are legally required to be listed on food labels in many countries, including the United States.
But what about fruit, or in this case, strawberries? How risky are they?
To find out, Bored Panda spoke with Dr. Kara Wada, MD, FAAAAI, DiplABLM, a board-certified allergist and immunologist and host of the Becoming Immune Confident podcast.
According to Dr. Wada, allergic reactions to strawberries can vary widely in severity.
“For some, symptoms may include itching, hives, or swelling around the mouth often due to irritation rather than true allergy,” she said.
“In more serious but rare cases, strawberries can trigger anaphylaxis—a life-threatening reaction that may involve difficulty breathing, throat swelling, rapid heartbeat, and a drop in blood pressure,” Dr. Wada explained.
Although severe reactions are rare, they require immediate emergency treatment with epinephrine. Dr. Wada encourages anyone who has experienced a reaction to strawberries to be evaluated by a board-certified allergist or immunologist.
How to protect children from allergy attacks
Image credits: Pixabay/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Thankfully, fatal allergic reactions are very rare.
One UK study found fewer than 10 deaths per year due to food-induced anaphylaxis. In the US, another study estimated a fatality rate of around 0.3% for anaphylactic reactions.
But rare doesn’t mean impossible. And for families managing food allergies, preparation is key.
With children, the risk can be more complicated. Kids may not fully understand their allergies or the importance of rules around them. That’s why Dr. Wada recommends a few valuable strategies to help keep children safe:
- Create an allergy action plan: Write out the child’s allergies, symptoms, and emergency steps. Share copies with caregivers, teachers, and coaches.
- Ensure access to epinephrine: If prescribed, the child should always have two epinephrine auto-injectors on hand. Adults responsible for them should know how to use them.
- Label everything: Clearly label lunch boxes, snacks, and personal items to avoid mix-ups.
- Teach age-appropriate awareness: Help kids learn to speak up about their allergies and understand why they shouldn’t share food.
- Communicate clearly with other adults: Don’t assume people know what an allergy means. Explain what to watch for and what to avoid.
That said, Dr. Wada emphasizes the importance of balancing safety with confidence.
“For children with food allergies, inclusion, and confidence are just as important as safety. We can help them feel empowered—not fearful—by reinforcing that their needs are valid and manageable,” she said. “Schools, camps, and caregivers are usually willing to help when they’re given the right tools and information.”
The majority of readers backed the author, believing they handled the situation appropriately
Some placed the blame on both adults
Meanwhile, a few felt the author was wrong for making food with known allergens
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What do you think ?
Mike F 7 months ago
Apparently, if someone in the home has an allergy it is up to the whole house to accommodate? And this business of just bang on the door and run, leaving the kid with someone who is SLEEPING is acceptable?
KatSaidWhat 7 months ago
Mom leaves child alone without even knowing if OP is home; kid climbs to TOP shelf to get the cookies, and somehow the YTA think he's in the wrong here? Lol.
Nancy Whiting 7 months ago
OP put the cookies on a TOP SHELF. That's an acceptable level of responsibility, The cookies weren't easy access.
Tori Whitby 7 months ago (edited)
Needed an ambulance and overnight ICU hospitalization in Texas about 7 years ago. Base fee of $1500 for the ambulance plus mileage. IIRC the hospital fees (not labs or IV medication) ended up being somewhere in the $20-$30K range. Luckily insurance covered most everything and knocked it down to $9,000. Took me almost 3 years to pay off all the bills since I was making $15/hr.
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Nancy Whiting 7 months ago
Note that the cookies are on the TOP SHELF. As far as I am concerned, that's a reasonable precaution.
Rimjabbathehutt 4 months ago
This could have happened when both adults were wide awake and not paying close attention. It was absolutely a di ck move to make food with the only known allergen and then expect a 4 YEAR OLD to be responsible enough not to try to get to them. It also sounds like she didn't bother telling the kid they were bad for him. OP needs to grow up and take responsibility for her idiocy. Anyone who says OP is not at fault is wrong.
Ellinor 7 months ago
They were on the top shelf. How can a 4 year old reach a top shelf without actively trying to ?
Load More Replies...
KatSaidWhat 7 months ago
They were on the top shelf. So out of reach but this kid climbed. Mom is the real AH here.
Load More Replies...
Mike F 7 months ago
Apparently, if someone in the home has an allergy it is up to the whole house to accommodate? And this business of just bang on the door and run, leaving the kid with someone who is SLEEPING is acceptable?
KatSaidWhat 7 months ago
Mom leaves child alone without even knowing if OP is home; kid climbs to TOP shelf to get the cookies, and somehow the YTA think he's in the wrong here? Lol.
Nancy Whiting 7 months ago
OP put the cookies on a TOP SHELF. That's an acceptable level of responsibility, The cookies weren't easy access.
Tori Whitby 7 months ago (edited)
Needed an ambulance and overnight ICU hospitalization in Texas about 7 years ago. Base fee of $1500 for the ambulance plus mileage. IIRC the hospital fees (not labs or IV medication) ended up being somewhere in the $20-$30K range. Luckily insurance covered most everything and knocked it down to $9,000. Took me almost 3 years to pay off all the bills since I was making $15/hr.
Load More Replies... Nancy Whiting 7 months ago
Note that the cookies are on the TOP SHELF. As far as I am concerned, that's a reasonable precaution.
Rimjabbathehutt 4 months ago
This could have happened when both adults were wide awake and not paying close attention. It was absolutely a di ck move to make food with the only known allergen and then expect a 4 YEAR OLD to be responsible enough not to try to get to them. It also sounds like she didn't bother telling the kid they were bad for him. OP needs to grow up and take responsibility for her idiocy. Anyone who says OP is not at fault is wrong.
Ellinor 7 months ago
They were on the top shelf. How can a 4 year old reach a top shelf without actively trying to ?
Load More Replies... KatSaidWhat 7 months ago
They were on the top shelf. So out of reach but this kid climbed. Mom is the real AH here.
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