THE sister of five-year-old Benedict Blythe, who died after an allergic reaction at school, has delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for new laws for schools.
Etta Blythe, 6, was joined by five other primary school students who took placards and the letter to Whitehall.
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They called for Benedict’s Law to be implemented across the country to end the “postcode lottery” of allergy safeguards in schools.
Benedict died after accidental exposure to cow’s milk protein at Barnack Primary School, between Stamford and Peterborough, in December 2021.
Etta and friends joined other children affected by allergies to stand in front of No 10 and knocked on the door to hand over the petition signed by more than 13,000 people.
It comes following last month’s jury inquest into Benedict’s death at Peterborough Town Hall, which found that the school did not follow all the measures in place to prevent the fatal anaphylactic reaction.
It also found there were risks of contamination and delays in administering the adrenaline pen.
Benedict’s mother, Helen Blythe, 38, said: “I think it’s important that today it’s the children that are bringing this to Downing Street.
“It’s their lives that we’re talking about and it feels like a really proud moment that we can bring them here and give them the opportunity to have their voices heard.
“We started the campaign almost three years ago.
“Benedict’s Law calls for greater safeguards and protection for children with allergies, specifically for there to be an allergy policy in every school, allergy training for all school staff and spare allergy pens in every school.
“And it’s something that we’d like to see implemented as soon as possible.”
Benedict had asthma and several allergies, including eggs, nuts, kiwi fruit and milk.
His parents had worked with the school to put together an allergy action plan in case of a reaction.
The school was responsible for storing oat milk in the staff fridge, which was labelled with the child’s name, and pouring it into Benedict’s cup in the classroom before handing it directly to him.
However, the jury inquest found that, on the day of his death, that process was not followed because his milk had been poured in the staff room rather than the classroom.
Mrs Blythe said: “A month ago we had my son’s inquest where the findings showed that had the measures that we’re calling for now been in place, he almost certainly would have survived.
“So I think that’s a big change in terms of what we’ve learned through this process and a real reason why the Government should implement these measures.
“Benedict was incredibly bright. He was curious as well, and incredibly kind.
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“So one of the things that we see in terms of the legacy is how fitting it would be to have legislation that protects other children, because he really looked out for others.
“And so to find something that keeps other children safe, that would be really fitting.
“It’s a really big, momentous moment being able to take this through after all the work that we’ve done and also the huge amount of support that we’ve had.”
Mrs Blythe says she has been in touch with a whole host of children and families who have different experiences in relation to their allergies.
‘We are hopeful’
Among those are both positive testimonies and “heartbreaking” incidents.
She said: “We hear stories every day about children who are experiencing all types of reactions at school, of teachers who are left without support or any training, and it’s heartbreaking to hear all of these coming through to us.
“We should say that there’s also stories that are really positive, where schools are having really good initiatives that keep children with allergies safe, but there shouldn’t be a postcode lottery, and that’s why these measures are so important.
“The reception has been really good recently, we met with the Department of Education twice in the last couple of weeks and it does feel like there’s a bit of a change in terms of their appetite for making this legislation happen.
“So we are hopeful, I think at this point that there will be measures in place to protect children right across the country.”
In response to the petition, the Department for Education told the BBC: “We do not believe the School Allergy Safety Bill is necessary because in the autumn we plan to bring forward proposals for supporting pupils with medical conditions, including allergies.
“The measures to support children with allergies envisioned in the Schools (Allergy Safety) Bill could be achieved without requiring primary legislation.
“We will consider how we might take them forward as part of this consultation.
“The proposal for all schools to hold in-date Adrenaline Auto-Injectors would have important implications for the NHS. We will work with DHSC and NHS England to consider this further.”
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The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis + what to do
SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with the offending food or trigger, but they can also come on up to one hour later.
Most allergic reactions are mild but they can also be moderate or severe.
Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction which can be life threatening.
In some cases, anaphylaxis symptoms lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal so it’s important to know how to recognise them and act quickly.
Mild to moderate symptoms include:
- Itchy mouth, tongue and throat
- Swelling of lips, around the eyes or face
- Red raised itchy rash (often called nettle rash, hives or urticaria)
- Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea
- Runny nose and sneezing
Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
- Swelling of your throat and tongue
- Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
- Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice
- Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
- Feeling tired or confused
- 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
Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency.
Follow these steps if you think you or someone you’re with is having an anaphylactic reaction:
- 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 5 minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector.
Do not stand or walk at any time, even if you feel better.
Sources: Allergy UK, NHS
