CHILDREN with allergies face “unacceptably high levels of risk” at school, a grieving mum has warned.
Helen Blythe’s five-year-old son Benedict died after suffering a fatal reaction in 2021, and she fears many other kids could face the same fate.
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She said pupils should feel “safe and protected” while in the classroom and canteen, but “countless” parents have reached out to her about their youngsters’ “near misses”.
As part of the Benedict Blythe Foundation, the Allergy Team, and the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA), Helen has now launched the Schools Allergy Code to help protect children from life-threatening reactions.
It sets out a number of steps teachers can take to keep students safe. This includes:
- Annual teacher training on allergies
- Awareness raising activities throughout the school, including dedicated assembles and lessons
- A comprehensive allergy and anaphylaxis policy in place
- Individual healthcare plans for all children with allergies
Benedict, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas, died on December 1, 2021.
That morning, he had opened his advent calendar and “happily went off to class”.
A few hours later, he collapsed and passed away from anaphylaxis – a severe and potentially deadly allergic reaction.
Helen, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, said the horrifying speed at which her little boy became ill shows the need for kids with allergies to be better protected at school.
“I can’t describe the impact on our family,” she said.
“Losing Benedict has shaken our whole reality.
“Too many children with allergies face unacceptable levels of risk at school, somewhere they should feel safe and protected.
“Since Benedict died, I have spoken to countless parents and carers whose children have suffered allergic reactions or near-misses at school.
“I hope this new Code will ensure schools interrogate their own processes, improve their understanding of allergies and know how to respond in an emergency.”
She described her son as a “happy, contented, self-assured little boy” who would “do anything to help”.
He had his first allergic reaction at just four months old after eating baby porridge that contained whey powder.
“Within minutes, he was choking, coughing, vomiting, wheezing and covered in hives,” Helen said.
Benedict was rushed to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a chest infection, but he had another reaction a few weeks later when his family tried to introduce formula mixed with breast milk.
Doctors put two and two together, and eventually diagnosed him with multiple allergies.
Too many children with allergies face unacceptable levels of risk at school, somewhere they should feel safe and protected
Helen Blythe
His parents later found out he also had allergic asthma, triggered by inhaled allergens.
But Benedict was smart, and he soon learnt to ask: “Is this OK?” and “There’s no cows milk or nuts in it?”
Once they were sure he understood the severity of his condition, and others did too, Helen and her partner Pete sent him off to primary school.
On the day of his death, he ate a snack and collapsed shortly afterwards. He died later that day in hospital.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Helen said: “He went off the school like normal but he didn’t come home.
“Two and a half years on, we still haven’t had an inquest, so we still don’t have answers about what happened that day, and that’s difficult for us to get our heads around.”
There is no suggestion Benedict’s school did anything wrong.
Facts about food allergies in schools
- Allergies are the most common chronic condition in childhood
- Up to eight per cent of kids in the UK have a food allergy
- Most school classes in the UK will have one or two kids with food allergies
- Up to 20 per cent of anaphylaxis cases occur within school grounds
- Around one in eight severe allergic food reactions occur in the classroom, not in the canteen
- Children with food allergies are twice as likely to be bullied than those without
Source: The Allergy Team
Schools can apply to join a register held by The Allergy Team.
These schools will be assessed and awarded a trust mark if they meet the criteria set out in the Code.
This means that families will be able to search for schools on the register to assess their suitability.
Sarah Knight, founder of The Allergy Team, said: “Knowing that a school meets the criteria set out in the Schools Allergy Code will give parents huge confidence when choosing a school for a child with allergies.
“To join the register and display the trust mark, schools will be assessed; this ensures they don’t just pay lip service to the Code but put it into practice, with buy-in from the whole school community.”
John Murphie, chief operating officer of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association, added: “The Schools Allergy Code is a game-changer for safety in schools.
“Allergy is an often overlooked area of safeguarding, and we need to give parents, pupils and staff greater confidence that schools really understand allergy and know how to reduce risk.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We understand the seriousness of severe allergies and we are clear that children with medical conditions should be properly supported to enjoy a full education and be safe at school.
“All schools are required to make arrangements that ensure this is the case.”
Fatal reactions
Around two million people in the UK live with a food allergy.
If these people eat problem foods, they can suffer reactions ranging from sneezing and dizziness to potentially fatal anaphylaxis, which blocks the airways.
In serious cases, this can cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure, unconsciousness and even death.
According to the NHS, other common anaphylaxis symptoms include:
- Swelling of your throat and tongue
- Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
- Trouble swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice
- Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
- Tiredness or confusion
- Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting
- Skin that feels cold to the touch
- Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue (if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- Swelling of the lips, face and eyes
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Itchy skin or hives
Around 10 people die every year from serious food reactions, analysis of NHS data in 2021 showed.
And between 1998 and 2018, there was a three-fold increase in hospital admissions for food-induced anaphylaxis per year, from 1.23 to 4.04 admissions per 100,000 population.
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What to do if you suffer anaphylaxis
IF you, a friend or loved one suffers the symptoms of anaphylaxis, the NHS advises:
- Use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) if you have one (instructions are included on the side of the injector).
- Call 999 for an ambulance and say that you think you’re having an anaphylactic reaction.
- Lie down – you can raise your legs, and if you’re struggling to breathe, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you’re pregnant, lie on your left side).
- If you have been stung by an insect, try to remove the sting if it’s still in the skin.
- If your symptoms have not improved after five minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector.
Do not stand or walk at any time, even if you feel better.
Source: NHS