District 214 Apologizes for Mishandling Treatment of Hersey Student's Peanut Allergy

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Township High School District 214 officials apologized to a John Hersey High School student and her family after the girl wasn't given an EpiPen immediately by a school nurse to treat her peanut allergy recently, according to the Arlington Heights Post.

The district also will pay for freshman's medical bills stemming from the incident—which included an ambulance trip to a hospital emergency room—as well as reviewing its policies on how it deals with allergies, food preparation and medical treatment, the report added.

"The district sincerely apologizes for our mistakes," District 214 spokeswoman Jennifer Delgado told the Post. "Student safety is always of the utmost importance, and we are working with the family to remedy the situation."

Lia Sommer, 15, was accidentally exposed to peanuts Aug. 30 after she bit into a turkey sandwich with pesto that she bought from the school's cafeteria, the report stated. It wasn't until days later that Lia's parents were informed by the high school that peanuts were used as a substitute for pine nuts in the pesto spread, the report added.

Lia knew from the first bite that she was suffering from a severe anaphylactic reaction—one that could be fatal—because of her peanut allergy, and she went with a friend to the nurse's office to receive an injection of epinephrine from an EpiPen, the report stated.

But when Lia reached the office, the nurse told her to take the antihistamine Benadryl first, according to the report. Lia, who has dealt with her allergy her entire life, knew she needed epinephrine, which was finally given to her after she called her mom, the report stated. Lonnie Joy, Lia's mom, then told the nurse to call 911, the report added.

Lia was taken by ambulance to Northwest Community Hospital's ER, a move that upset Lia's parents because no one from school accompanied their child, the Post reports.

"It is ludicrous that a minor would be sent alone to a hospital during school hours with no personnel to represent her," Lonnie Joy Sommer told the Post. "I am horrified and saddened by the complete lack of common sense and compassion that predicated this decision."

The Sommers have not filed a lawsuit against the district or school officials, but the parents did attend Thursday's school board meeting to make sure the mistakes made in the incident with their daughter were documented, the report added.

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logo via Township High School District 214

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