TV news this evening told of the death of a PA teenage boy on a school excursion in the Riverina district of Australia. Apparently he ate a teaspoon of peanut butter possibly as the result of a dare. No other details were given. My heart goes out to his family and his school mates and I feel very angry at the waste of a young life. At the same time when I hear news like this it brings all my concerns for my PA ds to the surface. Things are worrying enough now when I have so much control over his situation. To let him go out in a world where someone might dare him to eat peanuts is scaring me badly tonight. It just doesn't seem fair that he should have to live with this time bomb inside him, he is such a gorgeous, happy, social human being. Most of the time I can rationalise my concerns and deal with them but tonight I feel overwhelmed by it all. Stay safe.

On Mar 21, 2002

I found a newspaper article at this site:

[url="http://www.smh.com.au/index.html"]http://www.smh.com.au/index.html[/url]

On Mar 21, 2002

The original article disappeared from this morning, but there is a new one. I copied it out before it disappeared also.

Nut allergy linked to boy's death

March 22 2002

A post mortem will take place today on a 13-year-old Sydney boy who died after apparently suffering an allergic reaction to peanut butter.

Hamidur Rahman became ill during a school excursion to Yanco, southern NSW, with Hurlstone Agricultural High.

Ambulance officers said the teenager, from Hinchinbrook, in Sydney's south-west, went into cardiac arrest about 9.30pm on Wednesday.

The boy ate a spoonful of peanut butter and suffered a severe reaction a short time later, a police spokesman said.

Hurlstone Agricultural High school would not comment last night, but a NSW Education Department spokesman said police were investigating the matter.

Robert Loblay, head of the allergy unit at Royal Prince Alfred hospital, said Sydney hospitals had been lobbying the Health Department to establish a policy committee on peanut allergies.

"At clinics like ours we're now being swamped with children that have peanut allergies," Dr Loblay said.

"In the last five to 10 years there's been a steadily increasing proportion of food allergies due to peanuts. Now peanut, certainly after the age of two, is the most common food allergy."

AAP

On Mar 21, 2002

Thanks for looking that up River. Still feeling sick about this incident.

It didn't make me feel any better today when the monthly newsletter from the teacher at my ds school had the following 'We ask again for your consideration in the matter of peanut butter and peanut products. We see lunchtime peanut butter sandwiches smeared on lunch mats. This avenue of cross-contamination is what we had hoped to avoid.'

Luckily he doesn't stay for lunch yet but because I hadn't heard anything I was assuming thre had been no problem with the introduction of a peanut-free school. Guess I'll have to try and stir those paarents who don't get it with some vivid information. Some people never do get it though do they.

I might see if there is any way I can help to further the lobbying for the federal government to look into and legislate on the whole area of peanut allergies and schools, daycare etc in Australia. Something just has to change before any more children's lives are cut short so needlessly.

Stay safe everyone.

On Mar 22, 2002

[url="http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,4002981%255E701,00.html"]http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,4002981%255E701,00.html[/url]

[This message has been edited by smack (edited March 22, 2002).]

On Mar 22, 2002

Article from "Daily Telegraph" Sydney TRAGIC DEATH By STAVRO SOFIOS 23mar02

IT BEGAN with an innocent trivia challenge. It ended minutes later with the death of 13-year-old Hamidur Rahman.

The Year 8 Hurlstone Agricultural High School student died after a severe allergic reaction, the result of placing a spoonful of peanut butter in his mouth. Hamidur was attending a week-long camp at Yanco Agricultural High School in the state's southwest.

The teenager from Hinchinbrook in Sydney's southwest knew of his allergy and his parents twice warned his school of it before he left for camp.

But a tragic mix-up apparently cost the popular student his life.

About 9.40pm on Wednesday

On Mar 22, 2002

I got the above link from my this New Zealand site which could use probably a lot of help from our very informed professional posters!

[url="http://www.everybody.co.nz/cgi-bin/ubb-cgi/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=2&SUBMIT=Go"]http://www.everybody.co.nz/cgi-bin/ubb-cgi/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=2&SUBMIT=Go[/url]

And now you New Zealanders know that nogoober4me is really SMACK on this site. -Sylvia MacKenzie(the canuck)

On Mar 23, 2002

Is there a way we can send our condolences to his family through one of these newspapers?

Reading those articles made my hair stand on end. I'm so sorry for this child and his family.

Amy

On Mar 23, 2002

Where was his EpiPen? Did he use it? How soon? Was it on his person or close by?

Didn't the people in charge of the game know that he had a peanut allergy?

Never put anything in your mouth unless you know what it is. God bless his soul.

On Mar 25, 2002

My heart like everyone elses breaks for this family, what a needless tradedy.

I would be beside myself with one burning question in my mind. WHERE WERE THE ADULTS WHEN THIS GAME WAS BEING PLAYED?

My thoughts and prayers are with this family.

On Mar 25, 2002

In all probability the adults were there when the game was played. It was trivia night which would most likely involve the whole camp, but as it said - the peanut was overlooked.

On Mar 25, 2002

Oh my God, I can not imagine that adults were present and that was overlooked. Could that really be possible that adults were present? My thinking was maybe this took place in their cabin without adults present.

On Mar 25, 2002

Well I can only go by the fact it was called a 'trivia night' which infers it was a planned event. Planned events are done by adults usually - although perhaps the children had input in this instance? But at a school camp this would take place with adults present - be they teachers or parent helpers.

The thing is - accidents happen, tragic things get overlooked, mislabeling happens etc etc. We just have to be vigilent with our epipens at the ready should such a thing happen. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/eek.gif[/img]

I used to be a teacher and have gone on school camps with dairy and peanut allergic children (there were two in my class). The mothers of the two boys did half a week each as cooks for the camp so they knew their children would be safe to eat whatever. I'm intending on doing that when my Daniel reaches the age of school or scout camps. But then - it all depends on what everyones circumstances are and if this is possible. Perhaps your camps are set up differently with a resident cook?

Allie

------------------ ~*~ The results of my IQ test came back negative. ~*~

[This message has been edited by Allie (edited March 25, 2002).]

On Mar 25, 2002

I asked my son interesting questions about this latest tragedy "Do you remember what peanut butter smells like" answer "no" "Do you remember the color of peanut butter if someone was to place it in front of you" answer"orange"

Seeing this child was only two years older then my son, like my son he may not have seen or smelled PB for so many years that he forgot smell and sight.

again, my prayers go out to the family

On Mar 25, 2002

My heart goes out to Hamidur's family with the most sincere condolences.

This tragedy is the first I have been made aware of in Australia since my little girl was diagnosed two years ago. And as an Australian with a Peanut allergic child it has hit me really hard. I have been lying awake at night thinking of the details of the terrible loss of this teenagers precious life. I am a trained teacher and although I would like to think that we are all professional and treat each child as if they are our own I shudder at the thought of having to one day leave my daugthers life in the hands of some of my collegues. I cannot imagine the sheer anger that this family must be feeling with the staff on this camp, after twice warning the school of his condition and then suffering such an irreversible tradgedy.

How important is the life of a child and the education of the severity of a food allergic reaction??? Well accoring to the Herald Sun in melbourne (only one state away) not very important with their Saturday story a small 17cm x 7cm article on page 17.

I hope that the coronial enquiry returns a verdict that states the insulance of these staff and that the media coverage can heighten the awareness of the need for stringent guidelines for food allergic children in our schools in Australia. I hope that the death of Hamidur Rahman in not for nothing.

On Mar 25, 2002

sorry double post

[This message has been edited by Tammie- Chloe's mum (edited March 25, 2002).]

On Mar 31, 2002

I still cannot understand how such a tragic thing could happen. I am sure that all of us parents take each day as it comes, and heave a big sigh of relief, when we get through it without any mishaps with our allergy kids.

This story has somewhat made me look forward, and realise that in order to protect our beautiful children, we must commit ourselves to a lifetime of educating every person that ever comes in contact with us/them. We must NEVER become complacent, or let our guards down.

This young boy's death has certainly shaken our family up, and our prayers and deepest sympathy go to his family.

Peanut allergy is becoming more and more prevalent in Australia. There are 3 children at our playgroup that have it, so it has become nut free. If playgroups can take on this policy (and yet parents are present), then why can't schools? I will have to start my campaign soon,so by the time Jedd(2years) is ready to start school, hopefully we will have cut a lot of the red tape.

Can anyone tell me what the policy is like in the U.S? Has it been hard to find a comfort zone?

Take care, Jenni (Australia)