Latest news with #BarnackPrimary
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Father desperately tried to save life of son, five, when he suffered fatal allergic reaction after eating biscuit at school, inquest hears
A father desperately tried to save his five-year-old son's life as he suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating a biscuit at school, an inquest has been told. Peter Blythe arrived at Barnack Primary, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, to discover his son Benedict unconscious on the floor and staff frantically trying to revive him. He has now been giving evidence at the inquest, describing at Peterborough Town Hall his efforts to help. The tragedy unfolded on December 1 2021 when Benedict, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas, vomited during breaktime. Mr Blythe said: 'Benedict was dying in front of us and I could not believe what was happening.' The retired RAF senior aircraftsman immediately began CPR but struggled to clear mucus blocking Benedict's airway. Music teacher Dave Read, who was working outside the reception class at the time, saw Mr Blythe enter the room and then heard him yell - then stepped in to assist, having been trained in first aid. Mr Read said: 'It seemed the right decision to take over CPR, as Mr Blythe was crying - but he was not in any way doing a bad job. 'Everyone was working together to do the right thing. At the time, the CPR felt like it was working.' Mr Blythe and school staff continued to perform CPR for between 10 and 15 minutes before paramedics arrived. Benedict's mother Helen got there just two minutes later, at the same time as an air ambulance. The child was taken to Peterborough City Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly before 1pm on the day he was taken ill. Benedict had not previously shown signs of an allergic reaction and teaching assistant Sophie Brown said she assumed the sickness that day was related to an illness earlier in the week, the inquest has heard. She did not recall him asking for his blue asthma inhaler - adding that if he had, then she would have taken it as a sign he was having an allergic reaction and fetched his epi-pens immediately. Benedict vomited for a second time 10 minutes later and his class teacher Jenny Brass took him outside to get some fresh air - and it was at this point he collapsed. Ms Brown told the inquest: 'I heard Jenny shouting my name and she was carrying Benedict inside. 'He was floppy and appeared to be unconscious. His skin was grey-blue which I took to mean he was in shock and I immediately got his bag and administered his EpiPen.' She added that she could feel Benedict breathing and placed him in the recovery position - and then when he stopped breathing she began to perform CPR. Paramedics and his father had been called and Mr Blythe arrived shortly afterwards. Benedict was one of three children in the class with known allergies - though Ms Brown said she had not seen any written allergy management plan for him. She had received online anaphylaxis training and online and in-person training on how to use an epi pen, the inquest was told. The jury heard that Benedict, who lived in Stamford with his parents and younger sister Etta, had eaten a McVities gingerbread biscuit as a break time snack, which he had brought in from home. He had refused a carton of oat milk and drank water instead. Benedict's mother Helen Blythe was among those giving evidence on the opening day earlier this week of the inquest into the death of her 'kind-souled' son'. She told how he was 'not just a child with allergies' but 'a whole universe', as she paid tribute to the boy as 'curious, funny, kind and loving - adding: 'The world should have been safer for him.' Elizabeth Gray, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, has addressed a jury at Peterborough Town Hall considering a verdict in the inquest. She informed the court how Benedict as kept home from school on November 30, shortly before his death, because he was unwell and had vomited the previous night - but he went to school as normal on December 1. The coroner said Benedict ate a biscuit during that school day which he had brought from home and was then offered oat milk by a class teacher but declined to drink it. The inquest is scheduled to continue for the rest of the week, with other school staff and health professionals lined up to give evidence.
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
‘Benedict was dying in front of us' – Dad recalls son's tragic last moments after rushing to his school when he vomited
A DAD recalled his son's tragic last moments, as he desperately tried to save the five-year-old's life. Peter Blythe was called to his son Benedict's school after the tot vomited twice during break time. 8 8 8 He arrived at Barnack Primary, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, to find Benedict unconscious on the floor and staff frantically trying to revive him. The tot - who was in his first year at primary school and was allergic to milk, eggs and some nuts - had suffered a serious allergic reaction. 'Benedict was dying in front of us and I could not believe what was happening,' Peter said during an inquest at Peterborough Town Hall. The retired RAF senior aircraftsman immediately began CPR but struggled to clear mucus blocking Benedict's airway. Music teacher Dave Read, who was working outside the reception class at the time, saw Peter enter the room and then heard him yell. He stepped in to help as he was first aid trained. 'It seemed the right decision to take over CPR, as Mr Blythe was crying. But he was not in any way doing a bad job,' Dave said. 'Everyone was working together to do the right thing. At the time, the CPR felt like it was working.' Peter and school staff continued to perform CPR for ten to 15 minutes before paramedics arrived. Benedict's mother Helen got there just two minutes later, at the same time as an air ambulance. He was taken to Peterborough City Hospital but pronounced dead shortly before 1pm. His cause of death was given as food-induced anaphylaxis. The tragedy unfolded on December 1, 2021 when Benedict, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas, vomited during breaktime. He showed no other signs of an allergic reaction and teaching assistant Sophie Brown said that she assumed the sickness was related to an illness earlier in the week. 8 8 The youngster had been kept home on November 30 as he had been unwell and vomited in the night, the inquest was told. Sophie , who was trained in first aid and was aware of the boy's allergies, told the inquest: "He was off the day before so I assumed it was a bug." She didn't recall Benedict asking for his blue asthma inhaler. She said if he had, then she would have taken it as a sign that he was having an allergic reaction and fetched his epi-pens immediately. She told the inquest: "When I said 'are you feeling OK?' he said 'good'. He said 'no' to his mouth being tingling, there was nothing on his body that showed any hives." Sophie said Benedict changed his clothes before he vomited a second time ten minutes later. His class teacher Jenny Brass took him outside to get some fresh air. It was at this point he collapsed. 'I heard Jenny shouting my name and she was carrying Benedict inside,' Sophie told the inquest. 'He was floppy and appeared to be unconscious. His skin was grey-blue which I took to mean he was in shock and I immediately got his bag and administered his EpiPen.' The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis + what to do SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with 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 She added that she could feel Benedict breathing and placed him in the recovery position. When he stopped breathing she began to perform CPR. Paramedics and his father were called and Peter arrived shortly afterwards. Benedict was one of three children in the class with known allergies. Sophie said she had not seen any written allergy management plan for him but had received online anaphylaxis training and online and in-person training on how to use an epi pen. The jury heard that Benedict, who lived in Stamford with his parents and younger sister Etta, had eaten a McVities gingerbread biscuit as a break time snack, which he had brought in from home. He had refused a carton of oat milk and drank water instead. Helen, Benedict's mum, previously told the inquest jury that vomiting was "always" the first symptom of his allergic reactions, but "how it played out after that varied". She said the youngster was "well aware" of his allergic reactions and had woken up "as normal and in good health" that morning. The mum also told how she was "terrified" after learning Benedict had fallen ill. She continued: "The day Benedict died, our world broke but what's even more unbearable is the knowledge that we weren't alone. "Benedict was not just a child with allergies, he was a whole universe - curious, funny, kind and loving - and the world should have been safer for him." The Benedict Blythe Foundation was set up in his memory by his family last year. Along with The Allergy Team and the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA), the charity launched the schools allergy code to protect children with allergies and set out how schools can keep pupils safe. The inquest is scheduled to continue for the rest of the week, with other school staff and health professionals due to give evidence. 8 8
Wales Online
13 hours ago
- Health
- Wales Online
Dad tried to save five-year-old son when he had allergic reaction at school
Dad tried to save five-year-old son when he had allergic reaction at school Staff at the school has assumed his illness was down to a bug Benedict Blythe A dad desperately tried to save his five-year-old boy's life after he suffered a fatal allergic reaction at school, an inquest has heard. Peter Blythe arrived at Barnack Primary, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, to find his son Benedict unconscious on the floor and staff frantically trying to revive him. 'Benedict was dying in front of us and I could not believe what was happening,' Mr Blythe said in a statement to the inquest at Peterborough Town Hall. The retired RAF senior aircraftsman immediately began CPR but struggled to clear mucus blocking Benedict's airway. Music teacher Dave Read, who was working outside the reception class at the time, saw Mr Blythe enter the room and then heard him yell. He stepped in to help as he was first aid trained. 'It seemed the right decision to take over CPR, as Mr Blythe was crying. But he was not in any way doing a bad job,' Mr Read said. 'Everyone was working together to do the right thing. At the time, the CPR felt like it was working.' Mr Blythe and school staff continued to perform CPR for ten to 15 minutes before paramedics arrived. Benedict's mother Helen got there just two minutes later, at the same time as an air ambulance. He was taken to Peterborough City Hospital but pronounced dead shortly before 1pm. The tragedy unfolded on December 1, 2021 when Benedict, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas, vomited during breaktime. He showed no other signs of an allergic reaction and teaching assistant Sophie Brown said that she assumed the sickness was related to an illness earlier in the week. Article continues below She did not recall him asking for his blue asthma inhaler, adding that if he had then she would have taken it as a sign that he was having an allergic reaction and fetched his epi-pens immediately. Benedict vomited for a second time ten minutes later and his class teacher Jenny Brass took him outside to get some fresh air. It was at this point he collapsed. 'I heard Jenny shouting my name and she was carrying Benedict inside,' Miss Brown told the inquest. 'He was floppy and appeared to be unconscious. His skin was grey-blue which I took to mean he was in shock and I immediately got his bag and administered his EpiPen.' She added that she could feel Benedict breathing and placed him in the recovery position. When he stopped breathing she began to perform CPR. Paramedics and his father had been called and Mr Blythe arrived shortly afterwards. Article continues below Benedict was one of three children in the class with known allergies. Miss Brown said she had not seen any written allergy management plan for him but had received online anaphylaxis training and online and in-person training on how to use an epipen. The jury heard that Benedict, who lived in Stamford with his parents and younger sister Etta, had eaten a gingerbread biscuit as a break time snack, which he had brought in from home. He had refused a carton of oat milk and drank water instead. The inquest is scheduled to continue for the rest of the week, with other school staff and health professionals due to give evidence.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Five-year-old boy died from allergic reaction after eating biscuit at school
A five-year-old boy, described as "kind-souled," tragically died from a severe allergic reaction after collapsing at his primary school, an inquest has been told. Benedict Blythe, who was in his first year at Barnack Primary School in Stamford, Lincolnshire, died in hospital on 1 December 2021, following an incident at school where he vomited. His mother, Helen Blythe, delivered heartbreaking testimony on the first day of the inquest at Peterborough Town Hall. "Benedict was not just a child with allergies, he was a whole universe – curious, funny, kind and loving – and the world should have been safer for him," she stated. Benedict, who had known allergies to milk, eggs, and some nuts, had his cause of death recorded as food-induced anaphylaxis, according to Elizabeth Gray, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Ms Gray told the jury: 'Benedict was five years old at the time of his death. 'He suffered from asthma and a number of allergies including milk and an egg allergy.' The inquest heard Benedict was kept home from school on November 30 because he was unwell and had vomited the previous night, but went to school as normal on December 1. The coroner said Benedict ate a biscuit during that school day which he had brought from home and then was offered oat milk by a class teacher, but he refused to drink it. He then vomited so his parents were called to pick him up, but he vomited a second time and was taken outside for fresh air where he 'collapsed'. An adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) was administered by a first aid-trained teaching assistant but Benedict was 'not responding' before CPR was attempted. Emergency services were called but the schoolboy died later that day at Peterborough City Hospital. Benedict's mother, who gave evidence to the inquest, told the jury that vomiting was 'always' the first symptom of his allergic reactions, but 'how it played out after that varied'. She said the school was given a management plan with 'things we knew as a family and as his parents' about his allergic reactions. In a witness statement read to the inquest, Mrs Blythe said Benedict was 'well-aware' of his allergic reactions, adding: 'I believe he had an allergic reaction and this is what caused his death.' She added that Benedict 'woke up as normal and in good health' that morning with no temperature or cough. She described feeling 'terrified' when she learnt that Benedict had become unwell. The inquest heard that Benedict was 'not necessarily adventurous' with food but had become 'increasingly anxious' about asking whether things contained milk because of previous allergic reactions. Dr Emilia Wawrzkowicz, a consultant paediatrician, said the initial post-mortem examination report recorded Benedict's cause of death as asthma but she felt 'very strongly' that it was due to anaphylaxis. She told the court: 'The original post-mortem report had concluded on the balance of probabilities that the cause of death was asthma. I whole-heartedly disagreed with this. I was shocked to have seen this.' She said one of the reasons she believed this was because there was 'never any suggestion of airway compromise'. A video was shown to the jury of Benedict opening his advent calendar before school with his younger sister on the day he died. Mrs Blythe told the inquest the chocolate he ate from the advent calendar was dairy-free. She also read a pen portrait to the inquest, saying: 'Quick-minded and kind-souled, Benedict's love of 'playing numbers' was one hint to why he joined Mensa when he was four. 'His superpower was his kind heart, and it's that kindness that is so missing from our lives. 'The first return to a new school year after his death, children said 'I wish Benedict was here – he'd stop me feeling nervous'. 'Aside from the joy Benedict had in his life, he had to develop his own quiet kind of bravery. 'He lived with allergies and chronic asthma, and sometimes that meant missing out — on parties, on snacks other children could eat, on ice creams from the ice cream van – but he never let it define him. 'The day Benedict died, our world broke but what's even more unbearable is the knowledge that we weren't alone. 'Benedict was not just a child with allergies, he was a whole universe – curious, funny, kind and loving – and the world should have been safer for him.' The Benedict Blythe Foundation was set up in his memory and, along with The Allergy Team and the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA), launched the schools allergy code last year to protect children with allergies and set out how schools can keep pupils safe. The inquest, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Five-year-old boy died from allergic reaction after eating biscuit at school
A five-year-old boy, described as "kind-souled," tragically died from a severe allergic reaction after collapsing at his primary school, an inquest has been told. Benedict Blythe, who was in his first year at Barnack Primary School in Stamford, Lincolnshire, died in hospital on 1 December 2021, following an incident at school where he vomited. His mother, Helen Blythe, delivered heartbreaking testimony on the first day of the inquest at Peterborough Town Hall. "Benedict was not just a child with allergies, he was a whole universe – curious, funny, kind and loving – and the world should have been safer for him," she stated. Benedict, who had known allergies to milk, eggs, and some nuts, had his cause of death recorded as food-induced anaphylaxis, according to Elizabeth Gray, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Ms Gray told the jury: 'Benedict was five years old at the time of his death. 'He suffered from asthma and a number of allergies including milk and an egg allergy.' The inquest heard Benedict was kept home from school on November 30 because he was unwell and had vomited the previous night, but went to school as normal on December 1. The coroner said Benedict ate a biscuit during that school day which he had brought from home and then was offered oat milk by a class teacher, but he refused to drink it. He then vomited so his parents were called to pick him up, but he vomited a second time and was taken outside for fresh air where he 'collapsed'. An adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) was administered by a first aid-trained teaching assistant but Benedict was 'not responding' before CPR was attempted. Emergency services were called but the schoolboy died later that day at Peterborough City Hospital. Benedict's mother, who gave evidence to the inquest, told the jury that vomiting was 'always' the first symptom of his allergic reactions, but 'how it played out after that varied'. She said the school was given a management plan with 'things we knew as a family and as his parents' about his allergic reactions. In a witness statement read to the inquest, Mrs Blythe said Benedict was 'well-aware' of his allergic reactions, adding: 'I believe he had an allergic reaction and this is what caused his death.' She added that Benedict 'woke up as normal and in good health' that morning with no temperature or cough. She described feeling 'terrified' when she learnt that Benedict had become unwell. The inquest heard that Benedict was 'not necessarily adventurous' with food but had become 'increasingly anxious' about asking whether things contained milk because of previous allergic reactions. Dr Emilia Wawrzkowicz, a consultant paediatrician, said the initial post-mortem examination report recorded Benedict's cause of death as asthma but she felt 'very strongly' that it was due to anaphylaxis. She told the court: 'The original post-mortem report had concluded on the balance of probabilities that the cause of death was asthma. I whole-heartedly disagreed with this. I was shocked to have seen this.' She said one of the reasons she believed this was because there was 'never any suggestion of airway compromise'. A video was shown to the jury of Benedict opening his advent calendar before school with his younger sister on the day he died. Mrs Blythe told the inquest the chocolate he ate from the advent calendar was dairy-free. She also read a pen portrait to the inquest, saying: 'Quick-minded and kind-souled, Benedict's love of 'playing numbers' was one hint to why he joined Mensa when he was four. 'His superpower was his kind heart, and it's that kindness that is so missing from our lives. 'The first return to a new school year after his death, children said 'I wish Benedict was here – he'd stop me feeling nervous'. 'Aside from the joy Benedict had in his life, he had to develop his own quiet kind of bravery. 'He lived with allergies and chronic asthma, and sometimes that meant missing out — on parties, on snacks other children could eat, on ice creams from the ice cream van – but he never let it define him. 'The day Benedict died, our world broke but what's even more unbearable is the knowledge that we weren't alone. 'Benedict was not just a child with allergies, he was a whole universe – curious, funny, kind and loving – and the world should have been safer for him.' The Benedict Blythe Foundation was set up in his memory and, along with The Allergy Team and the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA), launched the schools allergy code last year to protect children with allergies and set out how schools can keep pupils safe. The inquest, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.
