Another Food Allergy Angel
It was her first day back to school after Christmas break and Ammaria Johnson, a first grade student at Hopkins Elementary school, was given a peanut by another student who was not aware of her food allergies. She went to school that morning and never came back.
During recess, Ammaria felt sick and ran to a teacher for help. The teacher rushed her to the school clinic where, it was reported, they tried to reach her parents first and then called 911.
Emergency crews were called on Monday (January 2, 2012) around 2:30 PM and when they arrived, 7 year-old Ammaria was in cardiac arrest. She was pronounced dead at the local medical center.
I'm so heart-broken for this family. I just cannot imagine what this child's last moments were like. She died without her mom or her dad by her side- likely during an ambulance ride. I hope that her teacher or the nurse rode in the ambulance with her.
I wonder what the other food allergic children and their families in this district must be thinking and feeling. It must be terrifying to have to attend school knowing that something like this could occur.
How can this still be happening?
Ammaria's mother says that she authorized a Food Allergy Action Plan so that her daughter could be given Benadryl at school. She also says that the school refused to take her
daughter's EpiPen.
Shawn Smith, a spokesman for Chesterfield county schools, told ABC News that: "The medication we receive, or should receive, has to be specific to that child, whether it's over-the-counter or prescription."
It has also been reported that the school had EpiPens in the health clinic and presumably Benadryl.
It's clear that we do not know the whole story. All we do know for sure is that for whatever reasons, the plan in place did not work.
No one gets off easy when a child dies a preventable death.
The adults who were there with Ammaria that day will be scarred for life, as will the students, the teachers, Ammaria's siblings, and her parents.
And now the education will begin...
Like many other districts where food allergy fatalities have occurred, policies will be revamped and reinforced and allergic children will be safer at this district, maybe even this state, in years to come.
Teachers will know who the food allergic students are and they will look at every symptom they experience through "allergy colored glasses"--as they should.
Teachers will monitor recess and have EpiPens and Benadryl with them at all times.
And in the event of a reaction, they won't even think about calling a parent until the child's life has been saved with her EpiPen and 911 has been called.
Wouldn't it be great to live in a world, where the call went like this?
"Ammaria is fine now but we did have to treat an allergic reaction just now. We administered an EpiPen and gave her Benadryl. The EpiPen worked very quickly and the ambulance is on the way so that they can monitor her.
I will ride with her in the ambulance and you can meet us at the hospital. Here, do you want to talk to her?"
Obviously Ammaria's mother got a very different call.
What's left for us to do now?
We have our work cut out for us but first and foremost make sure that your allergic child has a written plan (504 or IHCP) that includes how to recognize and treat allergic reactions and the accommodations needed so that reactions can be avoided.
Next, make sure that all adults who care for your child (teachers, aides, sitters, relatives, etc) are trained to avoid, recognize and treat allergic reactions.
Know the risk factors for fatal anaphylaxis:
1) Peanut or nut allergy
2) Asthma
3) Delay in administering epinephrine
We can't do anything about the first two, but we can make sure that EpiPens are immediately accessible (which means unlocked) and that caregivers are trained to administer them.
Keep in mind that past reactions do not predict future reactions. Even if your child's past reactions have been hives or stomach cramps, this doesn't mean that her next reaction wont be much worse. No one has a fatal reaction before they have a fatal reaction.
If your child is in someone else's care and you don't feel completely confident about their ability to manage an anaphylactic reaction, then take this opportunity to tell them what they need to know.
If you are a teacher or school administrator, review your food allergy policy. Share Ammaria's story with your staff and make sure every teacher and aide understand the reality of anaphylaxis.
Eight percent of US children now have at least one food allergy and 25% of epinephrine (ie EpiPen) administrations in school are to children with no known allergies.
Now is your chance. There is no sign from God or the Universe on the day a tragedy will occur. We have to be vigilant every day.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ammaria's family and friends and classmates.
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(c) 2011 Gina Clowes
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Gio Gen 19, 2012 4:08 pm