- Target:
- Parliament
- Region:
- United Kingdom
15th October 2011 was the day I lost one of the loves of my life. He's called Harry Cuming aged 10 years, loved by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. He was an uncontrolled asthmatic and also had food allergies. He was pin prick tested in 2008 and was positive to iodine, various nuts including peanuts, seafood, horses, cats and tree pollen. He was prescribed piriton.
We, as parents, thought the consultants knew best. His (as we thought) asthma attacks where getting worse, with more admissions into hospital, they could of been anyphylactic reactions too. The weekend before he died he was in hospital and we, as parents, pleaded with the consultant to reassess Harry's meds as we believed they where making him worse. When asked about his allergies the doctors thought Piriton was enough.
It didn't help that night. We were alone, watching him die. The paramedics didn't think of anyphylactic connection to a known asthmatic. What is asthma? Yes, an allergic reaction to a foreign body!
So many people need to have adrenaline to hand, if needed. It's a life saver. I can't believe in hindsight after the information given at a very detailed inquest, that we were not told this. It's a massive let down and I'm not going to let this happen any more.
More information on asthma, allergy & anaphylaxis is available at www.haydns-wish.co.uk
If we had an auto-injector available, it is highly likely that I would have my first born boy here today. Harry was 10 years old when he died.
With increasing frequency we read newspaper reports of children and young people who have died from anaphylaxis after eating snacks, takeaways or restaurant meals and 20% of allergic reactions happen during school hours. Yet auto-injectors are prescription only. I believe an auto-injector should be part of every first aid kit in restaurants, schools and public places and should be available over the counter from pharmacies. It doesn't take an expert to administer an auto-injector and a shot of adrenaline can't do any harm - as long as the auto-injector is to hand.
Please help my petition, this needs to change.
100,000 signatures needed.
Many thanks
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The Accessible EpiPens petition to Parliament was written by Vicky Cuming and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.