Tragic story coming out of Chicago this holiday week about a 13-year-old girl with a peanut allergy who died last Friday as a result of food eaten at a school party. She apparently had an anaphylactic reaction to Chinese food that was ordered in for the party, even though those in charge of the party say they checked repeatedly with the restaurant and were told the food would be safe. Though details are still somewhat sketchy, it appears that there wasn't an Epipen in the classroom to give this student immediate treatment, and there may not have been an emergency plan in place for her. Here are a few sites that are writing about this story now, and I'll add more as more details come out. If you've read something about this, please give a link in the comments.
- Chicago Tribune: "Seventh-grader dies of food allergy at Chicago school"
- The Nut-Free Mom Blog: "Tragic Food Allergy Death Points to Desperate Lack of Education"
- The Food Allergy Mama: "Another Innocent Life Lost ..."
- Huffington Post: "Seventh-Grader Katelyn Carlson Dies Of Food Allergy At Chicago School"
- CBS Chicago: "7th Grader Dies After Eating School Party Food"
- Allergic Living: "Teen Dies at Christmas Party"
Has your child's school found a good way to accommodate students with food allergies? Share the details.
Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images