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A new law in Illinois now allows school administrators to treat serious allergic reactions.

Governor Pat Quinn signed the legislation Monday.

Click here to read more from MyJournalCourier.com.

Nurses could use an EpiPen or other device to administer the medication to students who might be having a life threatening allergic reaction (sometimes called anaphylactic shock.)

Such an allergic reaction may include:
-  Abdominal pain
-  Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds
-  Anxiety
-  Confusion
-  Cough
-  Diarrhea
-  Difficulty breathing
-  Difficulty swallowing
-  Fainting, light-headedness, dizziness
-  Hives, itchiness
-  Nasal congestion
-  Nausea, vomiting
-  Palpitations
-  Skin redness
-  Slurred speech
-  Wheezing
(Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health online at MedlinePlus.)

Also under the new law, schools will no longer be required to have the medicine on hand.

Have you or any of your friends or loved ones ever gone into anaphylactic shock?  Tell us about it on our Facebook page by clicking here.