The first time Emerson tried cow’s milk he broke out in hives and his eyes and lips swelled. Emerson was just seven months old when he had an allergic reaction after having a few spoonsful of his sister’s strawberry smoothie. There was no family history of food allergies, so Emerson’s mum whisked him to the Emergency Department as a precaution. But he didn’t require treatment and the symptoms went away within hours.

Months later, the family was shocked to learn that Emerson was not only allergic to milk but also peanut.