A 14-year-old boy travelling abroad with his school had his life-saving allergy medicine confiscated and poured away as he went through security at Manchester Airport.
The boy's mum, Emma Wakefield, has now slammed airport authorities who took the medication away from her child, without consulting his teacher despite him carrying paperwork, his prescription, a doctor's letter and care plan. He was also wearing a disability lanyard and being accompanied by a one to one teacher.
Emma, 44, from Derby, was already understandably anxious at the thought of her son, Ben, going on a technology trip to Italy, since his allergies have in the past hospitalised him and left him seriously ill. And worryingly Ben had an allergic reaction apple while away and had to use his back-up medication, stored in his checked bag.
Emma and Ben on a family trip (Focus Features)
Mum Emma was anxious about the school trip (Focus Features)Emma said: “I was worried about him going away, because of his allergies, and so I followed all the instructions very carefully. The security worker didn’t check with Ben’s teacher, and he didn’t consult his doctor’s letter or his care plan. He simply saw that Ben had too much liquid and poured it away.
“That decision could have had tragic consequences. Ben got on a flight without all the medication he needed, and he was at risk. In the past, he’s been extremely ill in hospital with allergies. His condition, and others like his, need to be taken seriously. At the very least, security workers should not be making decisions for children without even letting their adult know.”
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Ben’s condition was diagnosed when he was just two years old, after his arm swelled when he got peanut butter on it. His condition was well-managed but aged 10, he had a severe reaction from a nougat bar. He was rushed to hospital by ambulance and placed in critical care whilst doctors stabilised his condition. Emma, a teacher, added: “There is no doubt they saved his life, and it was a reminder how serious it could be. When the school trip came around, I wanted him to go and have fun, but I was also worried.”
Ben need emergency medication with him on the plane (Focus Features)Emma says she followed Manchester Airport’s guidance when packing Ben’s medication, and included a paper prescription, his care plan, and a signed doctor’s letter. He was also wearing a disability lanyard and had a 1:1 teacher guide him through the check-in process. She added: “I had packed two lots of medication, one in hand luggage, one in the hold, so if he had any problems in the airport or on the journey, he had his Epipen and his antihistamine. He also had two inhalers.”
As he went through security, Ben and his teacher became separated, and a security worker tipped his bottle of antihistamine away. Emma added: “Like most 14-year-olds, Ben didn’t make a complaint. They made no effort to talk to his teacher and so he just carried on. An aeroplane is a high-risk environment for Ben, there is little ventilation and there are people eating in close proximity. It is terrifying to think he made that journey without the correct medication.”
Emma with son Ben and daughter Izzy (Focus Features)Ben landed safely in Italy but needed his second batch of medication to treat a reaction to an apple. Emma has complained to the the airport but they claim their worker "was correct in discarding the item". In their reply, they said: “I do understand your concerns regarding the medication, unfortunately we cannot allow this in hand baggage as per the directive of the DfT details and operating procedures we must follow, and I apologise for any upset this has caused you. “
However the Government states: "You’re allowed to carry the following in your hand luggage:
- essential medicines of more than 100ml, including liquid dietary foodstuffs and inhalers
- medical equipment, if it’s essential for your journey
"You’ll need to carry proof that the medication is prescribed to you (for example a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription) if it’s both:
- in liquid form
- in a container larger than 100ml."
Emma added: “I’d like them to give an assurance this won’t happen again. I want them to change procedure in the future so other children are not put at risk, as Ben was. Next time, their mistake could be fatal.” A Manchester Airport spokesman has said the incident is under investigation.
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