School’s ‘negligence’ played part in death of boy who suffered an allergic reaction
A CORONER has criticised a Birmingham school where a nine-year-old boy died from a severe allergic reaction to something he ate.
City Coroner Louise Hunt said there were many failings on the part of Al-Hijrah School in Bordesley Green, where Mohammed Ismaeel Ashraf fell ill after eating lunch.
Her comments came after an inquest jury returned a conclusion that neglect played a part in the schoolboy’s death.
The jury returned a narrative conclusion, stating the facts of his death, but added that neglect was a contributory factor.
Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard how Mohammed – known as Ismaeel – from Sparkhill, collapsed less than two hours after eating fish fingers and chips in the school canteen.
Seconds before he suffered a cardiac arrest in reception, the youngster told school staff : “I’m going to die”.
The youngster died from an ana- phylactic reaction to something he ate that day, but the inquest was told that a delay in school staff giving him a vital injection of adrenaline contributed to his death.
The school, which is in special measures and has been taken over by Birmingham City Council, knew of his allergies and a care plan was in place for when he fell ill.
This stated that he had to remain where he was when a reaction occurred, that he should not be moved and that his antihistamines and Epi-Pen should be brought to him. He must be given a shot of adrenaline as soon as possible.
But the inquest heard how school staff made him walk to reception accompanied only by another pupil, not an adult, where he was given antihistamines.
There was also a delay of around half an hour between him falling ill and receiving his Epi-Pen because teachers “didn’t connect the dots” and realise he was seriously ill. They were also unable to find his Epi-Pen straight away.
Three senior doctors said the delay in administering the adrenaline possibly contributed to his death.
But they said the fish fingers Ismaeel had for lunch in the school canteen were not to blame because it was an hour and 15 minutes after eating them that he fell ill. Most serious reactions occur within less than 30 minutes, the inquest heard.
Mrs Hunt said she would now be writing a report and sending it to all the parties involved in the tragedy, as well as the chief coroner and local health authority.
She said she would raise a number of concerns, most of them involving the school and the way it dealt with children who had allergies.
Despite the tragedy, she said a report commissioned by Birmingham City Council immediately after the death, outlining recommendations to prevent future tragedies, had still not been given to the school five months since Ismaeel’s death. During the four-day hearing, the Coroner’s Court had been told how Mohammed was allergic to all dairy and nuts, kiwi fruit and some fish.
The inquest had also heard how, despite it being stated on Ismaeel’s care plan that he was allergic to some fish, he was still served fish fingers regularly because canteen staff had not read the care plan, despite a copy being in the kitchens. Both the school and catering firm told the inquest that they had implemented changes to tighten up procedures.