Asthma Death Boy Was 'Neglected' By School - inquest shows

Asthma Death Boy Was 'Neglected' By School
7:21am UK, Thursday March 18, 2010

James Jordan, Sky News Online

A boy who died after an asthma attack was left struggling for breath in a corridor by teachers who failed to call an ambulance.

Samuel Linton, 11, from Stockport, Cheshire, suffered an asthma attack during lessons at the town's Offerton High School but was left with only his inhaler for several hours until his mother was called and took him to hospital, where he died two hours later.

His devastated parents and their lawyers demanded that lessons needed to be learned at schools across the country, to ensure another death like Samuel's was avoided.

The boy's parents, Paul and Karen Linton, said: "Samuel was a wonderful son and his loss has been devastating.

"The inquest highlighted what happened at school that day and the thought that his death may have been prevented is too much to bear."

A jury at the inquest into his death at Stockport Coroner's Court recorded a verdict of death by natural causes, significantly contributed to by neglect on an individual and systemic level.

During the three week hearing jurors heard that teachers at Offerton were unaware of the school's policy that they should call an ambulance if a pupil had an asthma attack and did not improve within 10 minutes.

The family's lawyer, Jonathan Betts, said: "This was a truly tragic incident in which a loving family have lost a treasured son under deeply worrying circumstances.

"The inquest has shown the lack of training, lack of communication between staff, lack of record keeping and a complete absence of common sense in the event of a child suffering from an asthma attack.

"The fact that no-one called an ambulance during the hours that Sam was suffering from a prolonged asthma attack is truly astounding and very troubling for all parents."

A spokesman for Stockport Council and Offerton High School said: "The death of a young person is an occasion of profound sadness and we extend our deepest sympathy to Samuel's parent's and family."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God how awful. A death so easily prevented.

Eddie,

That really doesn't surprise me from what I've seen of first aiders in schools. They all appear to know about ice packs but not much else. So, if it's not an obvious sprain or strain that they can put an ice pack on, they don't know what to do and mostly do nothing.

How very, very tragic. Poor little lad.

This is an appalling case. My son had severe asthma when he was small..the school were very good and so many kids were in the same boat that the school secretary would ring immediately if she thought I was needed.

Surely anyone would/should know that someone having a severe asthma attack needs medical attention. I don't think being a teacher or having training is anything to do with it. Just use a bit of bloody common sense for goodness sake.

This case is an obscenity, there is no way that the teacher concerned should ever be involved with children ever again.

It does not demand rocket scientist training to recognise when someone is in distress. To send the child out of the classroom to stand in the corridor, (as was reported on TV news) is little short of wilful neglect.

To ignore such distress in anyone, child or not brands this person as a pariah.

The school and Council will bear the vicarious guilt but the real guilt will forever lie at the door of the class tutor for doing nothing.