Orange County Girl, 5, Is So Allergic That Kiss On Forehead Can Put Her On Respirator For Days
ALISO VIEJO (CBSLA.com) — A 5-year-old Orange County girl has allergies that are so severe that allergens like pollen that float through the air can jeopardize her life.
Aeverie Abile is allergic to more than 65 percent of all foods. Someone recently kissed her on the forehead after eating something she was allergic to, and it put Aeverie on a respirator for six days.
KCAL9's Michele Gile reports the little girl can't even get hugged for fear that she will be affected.
"If I even touch a peanut," says Aeverie, "I can go into anaphylactic shock." If she even sniffed peanut dust, she would end up in the ER in critical condition. She is never far from her EpiPen.
When she plays with friends, they have to do so in the open air with gloves and masks on.
She also has asthma, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (a disease of the connective tissue) and muscular dystrophy. Aeverie wears braces on her legs.
Aeverie's mom believes a service dog would do wonders for her daughter.
"The dog will be trained to specifically sniff out the proteins in peanuts and tree nuts that are not visible to the human eye," says Stephanie Abile, "and alert Aeverie and her handler, who would be me."
A trained dog of this kind would cost about $15,000, and that is where the community of Aliso Viejo comes in.
People who barely know Aeverie or her family have jumped in to help raise money. Jimmy's Tacos (corner of Aliso Creek Road and Glenhurst), for one, is donating 25 percent of its sales Saturday to the cause (noon to 7 p.m.). There is also a silent auction being planned. There will be food, music and a photo booth.
The dog will help Aeverie do things other kids take for granted. And Aeverie's friends are all for it.
"'Cause then she'll be able to go to school," says friend Katie Davani. "She'll be able to have even more friends than she had before."
Aeverie's mother set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for the dog.