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Martynka suffered an anaphylactic shock after eating chocolate with nuts. Although she was given an adrenaline injection quickly, the girl died. According to experts, there will be more children who react to such a strong reaction by eating or biting an insect. And hardly anyone knows how to react and help.
- According to specialists, there are more and more children in whom eating or an insect bite may cause anaphylactic shock. Their lives can be saved by an adrenaline rush
- If an accident occurs at school and the child does not have a pre-filled syringe with him, the end could be tragic
- It turns out that there is no adrenaline in the school’s first aid kits, and teachers are afraid to inject. Doctors and parents of allergy sufferers want to change this
9-year-old Martynka died of anaphylactic shock after eating three chocolates. She was allergic to peanuts. The product label did not indicate that they were included in the product.
Her younger sister Marlenka is also allergic. Parents decided to go to home education. They concluded that the school was not a safe place for an allergy sufferer “with a high allergy class” due to low public awareness of anaphylactic allergy, the lack of shock prevention procedures and the lack of clear guidelines for school staff in the event of a shock.
The school doesn’t know what to do
There is no adrenaline in the school’s first aid kits. Children who know about their allergies wear adrenaline in their school bag, and the parents give a written authorization to give it to the nurse. If a shock occurs and the nurse is not there, no teacher will administer the drug. They do not know how to use it because they are not trained in this field. They also fear responsibility should something go wrong. In the event of a shock, an ambulance is called.
– In such a situation, time is very important. You have to act automatically. Meanwhile, first aid training for teaching staff usually does not even cover the content related to anaphylactic shock – says Małgorzata Młyńska, founder of the Martynki Młyńska. – We systematically organized such training for our friends on our own. We will organize them on a larger scale among Wrocław parents. However, most children with allergies spend a lot of time at school, she adds.
This has to change
Parents of allergy sufferers from all over Poland write to the president of the Polish Society of Allergology, prof. Zbigniew Bartuzi, desperate letters:
“My six-year-old child has a severe form of allergy – shock can occur after consuming milk and other foods. The management does not agree to give the child adrenaline in the event of shock. A child will not inject himself with adrenaline, so when I send my child to school, I would like to be sure that the school is prepared to help, and not waiting for the ambulance to arrive. “
– Minutes, even seconds count in the event of a shock. The nurse is not always available – says prof. Bartuzi. That is why the Polish Society of Allergology asked the Ministry of Health to change the regulations, including a regulation that specifies the composition of the school’s first aid kit. It has also developed specific procedures on how to use a syringe in case of shock.
PTA proposals are modeled on the standards that are in force in many countries, incl. in Usa. In local schools, there are adrenaline lockers in the corridors, if necessary, you break the glass, pull out the pre-filled syringe and save lives by injecting into the thigh muscle. In addition, the equipment loudly instructs itself what to do.
As emphasized by prof. Bartuzi, ampoules alone are not enough. There is also a mental barrier to overcome. – People are not aware that the drug is completely safe. Even if the shock has been badly assessed, they will not hurt the child by giving the injection – adds prof. Bartuzi. As she emphasizes, the matter must be dealt with urgently, as there are more and more children with allergies and reports about death from shock appear regularly.
As prof. Bartuzi, PTA is determined and ready to help. – We associate 1700 allergists, we are ready to conduct training for teachers – adds the professor. – We have posters and instructions.
Without education, nothing will change
The Ministry of Health replies that the legal changes proposed by the PTA will be possible thanks to the act on the health of children and adolescents at school age (the same one that provides for dental buses and dental offices in schools). It is to come into force from the new school year. On its basis, the minister of health, in agreement with the minister of national education, will issue an ordinance regarding teacher training. – Moreover, the minister of health is planning to define the recommendations of medical treatment for these students – informs Milena Kruszewska, spokesman for the Ministry of Health. However, he admits that there are no detailed proposals.
Małgorzata Młyńska provides the solutions applicable in Great Britain as a model. There are clear procedures for admitting a child with an allergy to school. – Both the child and the parents, from the very first day, receive a lot of support in the form of specific actions increasing the child’s safety. Importantly, sweets cannot be brought to school. In our country, such proposals meet with resistance, says Małgorzata.
Also, according to Ewa Ropiecka, a nurse from one of the Warsaw schools, implementing changes may not be so easy. – We are still too poorly educated as a society. Educators are afraid to perform medical activities, they keep them as far apart as possible. If they had to give an injection, their hands would be shaking with nerves. Probably there would also be a few vandals who would destroy adrenaline for a stupid joke – he estimates. However, the nurse believes that it is worth training teachers and making an attempt to change.
the great unknown
There are no reliable statistics on deaths due to anaphylactic shock in Poland. They are usually reported as death due to cardiopulmonary failure. Hence, the number of deaths due to a sudden anaphylactic reaction is underestimated in our country. In the last 10 years, according to the statistics of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, the number of patients with food allergies has doubled and the number of visits to HED departments of patients with adverse reactions to food has increased by as much as 6 times. – You should also be aware that approx. 10 percent. patients with food allergy are at risk of anaphylactic shock – adds prof. Bartuzi. In the professor’s opinion, the issue of appropriate legal regulations regarding the administration of adrenaline is a priority.