Plea to parents over schoolgirl's peanut allergy
A Victorian girl's first day at prep has turned into a nightmare after she suffered an allergic reaction.
Five-year-old Amelie's face became puffy and swollen after she came into contact with traces of peanut in the playground.
"We suspect she's rubbed her eyes and had a mild allergic reaction," Amelie's mother, Joanne King, said.
Little Amelie, who was diagnosed with anaphylaxis as a baby, was sent home from school early because of the pain.
Had she eaten the peanuts, it could have been much worse.
"She could have stopped breathing within minutes," Ms King said.
"To think that she's just started school and she could have died is pretty distressing."
A photo of Amelie's reaction has been shared more than 20,000 times on Facebook and attracted thousands of comments.
Ms King is now urging parents to stop packing nuts in lunchboxes amid fears a child will die.
"A little bit of thought when you're preparing the school lunches might save someone's life," Ms King said.
By law, any Victorian school that has students at risk of anaphylaxis must have proper prevention and management strategies in place.
Victoria's Education Minister Martin Dixon says a state school nut ban is not on the cards.
Amelie has since made a full recovery and returned to school today.
