Camron Jean-Pierre abruptly fell ill when he walked into his grandmother's house as she was cooking dinner.
An 11-year-old boy died suddenly Tuesday after suffering what authorities believe was an allergic reaction to the smell of cooked fish.
Camron Jean-Pierre and his father, Steven, had traveled from New Jersey to visit Camron's grandmother in Brooklyn, New York on New Year's Day. When they arrived, Camron became abruptly sick as they walked in the door while his grandma was making dinner, according to the New York Post.
“It just so happens they was cooking [fish] when we came in,” his father told the Post, adding that Camron is allergic to fish. “Usually he don’t get nothing that severe.”
The dad tried everything to revive his son, but nothing worked. Camron was unresponsive when police arrived at the scene. He was taken to a local hospital but was later pronounced dead.
His last words? “Daddy, I love you,” his father told the Post.
The medical examiner will determine Camron's official cause of death, but sources confirmed to WNBC that it's suspected the smell of the fish was to blame. Camron did not eat any of the fish.
Scents have been known to cause allergic reactions in certain people. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology specifically warns that those suffering from fish allergies should stay out of places where fish is being cooked "as proteins may be released into the air during cooking."
“In the cooking process, proteins in the fish were aromatized," Dr. Andrew Ordon with "The Doctors" told InsideEdition.com. "The child inhaled them, they were absorbed into his system, triggering an anaphylactic response. Unusual, but can happen. These are the allergens in fish that many people are sensitive to and react to varying degrees.
"This was a severe tragic event," Ordon added.
Signs of a possible fish allergy include hives, nausea, headaches and, in rare cases, anaphylaxis.
Dr. Janette Nesheiwat told WNBC that she recommends keeping Benadryl, a medication that provides allergy relief, close by. "If you are a patient who has severe allergies, sometimes your doctor can give you steroids to have on hand until you can call 911," she added.
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