Tag Archives: Allergy

Schools To Stock Adrenalin Pens And Train Teachers After 5-Year-Old’s Death

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The parents of a five-year-old boy who died after accidentally being exposed to an allergen at school have welcomed the government’s new allergy plans for schools.

On 1 December 2021, Benedict Blythe went to school, as normal, yet a few hours later, his dad Peter received a call to say he’d been sick. When he arrived to pick up his son, it became clear he was seriously unwell.

Peter began CPR until an ambulance arrived. Sadly, despite medical help, Benedict was pronounced dead in hospital just after lunchtime.

An inquest into his death determined the five-year-old died from an accidental exposure to cow’s milk protein, which triggered fatal anaphylaxis.

His parents, Helen and Peter, have been fiercely campaigning for safety changes in schools ever since.

The couple have worked with clinicians, coroners, charities and parliamentarians to highlight gaps in allergy safety in schools and push for national protections so no other family suffers a similar fate.

And now it seems ‘Benedict’s Law’ is set to make real change.

The government has shared that under new statutory guidance, schools will have to stock life-saving adrenaline auto-injector pens, teachers will undergo compulsory allergy awareness training, and every school will need to have a dedicated allergy policy.

The guidance is currently open for consultation and will come into force in September 2026.

Helen and Peter said: “We are grateful that the government has listened to us, and that as a result a new generation of children with allergies will, from September, enter a school system far safer for them.

“Our son Benedict died aged just five years old, from an allergic reaction in school that was not only preventable but treatable.”

They added that if Benedict’s Law had been in place when their son joined his school, “he may still be alive”.

Helen and Peter Blythe, pictured with their children.
Helen and Peter Blythe, pictured with their children.

Food allergy affects around 7-8% of children worldwide, equivalent to roughly two pupils in every classroom. What’s more, roughly 30% of allergic reactions in schools occur in children previously undiagnosed with an allergy.

Yet research commissioned by the Benedict Blythe Foundation, which the family set up in their son’s name, revealed that one in three schools did not have an allergy policy and almost half did not hold spare life-saving medication.

“As a family, leading the campaign for allergy safety in schools has been about remembering our son,” Helen and Peter continued.

“He was a kind, clever boy who cared about helping others – so knowing that for the first time schools will be expected to protect children with allergies like him from harm feels like a fitting legacy for Benedict.”

The Benedict Blythe Foundation caveated that while guidance sets expectations, it does not create an enforceable legal duty or guarantee consistent implementation across every school.

Olivia Bailey, minister for Early Education, said: “No parent should have to send their child to school worried that a life-threatening allergic reaction won’t be handled swiftly.

“We have listened to the families and organisations who have campaigned tirelessly on this issue, and we are acting.

“These new requirements will give parents the confidence that every school has the training, the plans and the equipment in place to keep their child safe.”

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, whose daughter Natasha died aged 15 from an allergic reaction, said she is “deeply grateful” that the government is taking action to keep children with food allergies safe at school.

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Allergies and dizziness: What’s the link?

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An allergy is the immune system’s reaction to a foreign substance, or allergen, in the body. Typical symptoms of seasonal and environmental allergies include a runny nose, sneezing, sinus congestion, and itchy eyes.

A less common symptom of allergies is vertigo, which is a severe form of dizziness. A person may experience this symptom during the allergy season.

In this article, we explore the link between allergies, dizziness, and vertigo. We also discuss treatment and medication options, as well as some self-care tips.

Vertigo is a type of dizziness that usually causes people to feel as though the world is spinning.

The Vestibular Disorders Association define dizziness, vertigo, and disequilibrium as follows:

Term Definition
Dizziness This occurs when a person feels light-headed, faint, or unsteady.
Vertigo This occurs when a person feels as though they are spinning, or that the environment around them is spinning.
Disequilibrium This occurs when a person feels unsteady or imbalanced with an inability to determine their location and motion relative to the environment.

Dizziness is associated with other conditions, such as heart, blood vessel, brain, metabolic, vision, and psychological problems.

Vertigo is associated with a dysfunction in the structures of the ear or brain that control balance. It can last from a few seconds to a few days.

a man hiking who is experiencing allergies and dizzinessShare on Pinterest
Sometimes, an allergy that affects the ears may cause vertigo.

Many conditions can give rise to vertigo, including inner ear disease and Ménière’s disease.

A less common cause of vertigo is allergies. Allergies can be either seasonal or occur all year round.

One particular way that allergies may cause dizziness, vertigo, or both is via eustachian tube dysfunction. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the inside of the nose and the back of the throat. Since these structures are all connected, severe allergy symptoms can affect the ears through increased mucus production and nasal congestion.

The functions of the ears are hearing and balance. When the eustachian tube cannot regulate the pressure in the middle ear, it can also affect the vestibular system. This controls balance and is located in the inner ear.

Chronic middle ear conditions can also cause vertigo. People with infections or inflammation in the middle ear can experience vertigo and balance disorders. Some researchers suggest that allergies can cause middle ear inflammation.

If a person is experiencing vertigo and other allergy symptoms, a doctor can try treating the allergy symptoms, which may, in turn, resolve the vertigo.

A case report from Kyoto, Japan showed the effectiveness of allergy medication in a woman with chronic vertigo and allergy symptoms who had not responded to usual vertigo treatment and medications.

However, further research will be necessary to confirm these findings.

Medications

The sections below list some medications that may be effective in treating allergies and vertigo.

Nasal steroids and antihistamines

Doctors and pharmacists recommend nasal steroids and topical or oral antihistamine drugs as first-line medications to treat seasonal allergy symptoms.

Other oral treatments

These include:

  • leukotriene receptor antagonists
  • sublingual immunotherapy
  • oral corticosteroids (in severe cases)

Injections

Sometimes, depending on the severity of a person’s allergy symptoms and their response to other allergy treatments, a doctor will recommend immunotherapy, or “allergy shots.”

Oral decongestants

People should only use oral decongestants for allergy symptoms if they experience sinus or nasal congestion.

Because these medications have many side effects, including increased blood pressure, it is vital that people consult with their doctor before taking them.

Decongestant nasal sprays are also available to help relieve sinus congestion. People should not use these products for more than 3 consecutive days, however, as this can lead to dependence and rebound congestion after use.

Antivertigo drugs

These drugs include:

As much as possible, people should try to avoid the substance that causes their allergies. However, this may be difficult, as seasonal allergy symptoms are usually the result of pollen, which is everywhere outdoors.

People with indoor allergy symptoms should try to reduce exposure to dust mites and animal dander, as these are likely the cause of their symptoms.

It may be helpful to remove allergens in the house by:

  • using anti-allergen bedding covers
  • washing bedsheets in hot water
  • using vacuum cleaners with high efficiency particulate air filters

People with seasonal allergies may have symptoms that affect their eyes, ears, nose, and throat. All of these structures are connected.

Doctors have also noticed that some people with severe allergy symptoms develop vertigo.

Vertigo is not a common symptom of allergies, so healthcare providers should be absolutely sure before they confirm that allergies are the cause.

When a person has both allergy symptoms and vertigo, treating the allergy symptoms may resolve both issues.

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