Call for allergy pens in schools after boy's death

"His parents had worked with the school to put together a personal allergy action plan and a specific process for storing, preparing and supplying oat milk to the pupil. In July, an inquest jury looking into Benedict's death found that the school did not follow all the measures in place to prevent his death from a fatal anaphylactic reaction to cow's milk which he had been given accidentally. This included delays in administering his medication, Mrs Blythe said."

"An inquest found delayed administration of his adrenaline pen was a factor in his death. His mother, Helen Blythe, said: "No parent should lose a child because medication wasn't there when it was needed. The solutions exist. What's missing is action." The Department for Education said it was "working across government to consider how we might extend the availability of allergy pens in schools.""

Five-year-old Benedict Blythe collapsed at Barnack Primary School in December 2021 after accidentally being given cow's milk and died in hospital. An inquest found delayed administration of his adrenaline pen and failure to follow all allergy measures contributed to his fatal anaphylactic reaction. Benedict had asthma and multiple food allergies; his parents had created a personal allergy action plan and a process for providing oat milk at school. His mother, Helen Blythe, has urged immediate rollout of spare allergy pens in schools and proposed Benedict's Law to ensure adequate plans. Research by the Benedict Blythe Foundation with Professor Paul Turner and the National Allergy Strategy Group concluded spare pens in every UK school could save lives, reduce NHS medication waste, simplify logistics, and improve emergency access.

Read at www.bbc.com