A HEARTBROKEN mum was forced to watch her teenage son with a life-threatening allergy die over a video call after he was given a dessert laced with peanuts.
Idris Qayyum, from West London, was sent into suspected anaphylaxis after he ate pudding he was told did not contain nuts while on holiday in Turkey.
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The 19-year-old, who was enjoying his first holiday without his parents, was first diagnosed with the severe allergy when he was a toddler.
The tragedy unfolded on the first night of his week-long trip in June with his best friend that they booked with Love Holidays.
They’d been taking in the sights from the Marti Myra Hotel’s rooftop terrace where dessert platters were being served to guests.
Idris, who was studying to become an electrician, stressed to waiters that he had a peanut allergy and according to his family, he asked three times whether the puddings contained the allergen.
As well as asking in English, he used Google Translate to make sure the staff understood his question.
Idris was assured that the sweet treats were safe to eat, but just seconds after he ate the cake, he began to feel sick.
They returned to their hotel room, where Idris started to become breathless and his friend frantically video-called Idris’ mum.
Ayeshah Bathia had no choice but to watch as staff performed CPR on her son.
She shouted at them to administer his EpiPen, an auto-injector that contains epinephrine which helps treat life-threatening allergic reactions.
Ms Bhatia also told the hotel staff to call an ambulance, but after 25 minutes of CPR, Idris was declared dead.
What to do if you are suffering from anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction and needs urgent treatment.
- According to the NHS website, an adrenaline auto-injector, such as an EpiPen should be administered.
- Call 999 for an ambulance and explain that you are having an anaphylactic reaction
- Lie down – raise your legs and if you are struggling to breathe, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly.
- If you are pregnant, lie down on your left side.
- If symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a second auto-injector
- Do not stand or walk at any time, even if the symptoms have calmed down
The devastated family have taken legal action against Love Holidays under the premise that the tour operator and its suppliers failed to provide correct information on food allergens.
They also claimed the company didn’t provide adequate training for staff on food safety and allergies.
Ms Bhatia told MailOnline: “Our lives have been shattered forever. To lose our son aged 19 is the worst tragedy any family could face.
“But to lose him in circumstances where we were not able to be there to help him is very hard to bear.
“And to lose him knowing that he had made every effort to protect himself from a harm to which he knew he was vulnerable is even worse.”
She said how she got the call at 10.30pm in the UK and she was able to see her son on the floor as the frantic staff members performed CPR.
Ms Bhatia said that Idris had taken his EpiPen, but it is currently unclear why this did not save his life.
She and her daughter felt helpless as they watched Idris’ final moments.
According to Idris’ mum, the teenager was “really vigilant” with his condition and would always check the packaging of his food.
“We avoided it as best we could. Over the years, he very occasionally accidentally at peanuts and his symptoms were different every time,” she said.
She explained that peanuts always affected his breathing and he knew he needed his asthma pump.
The travel claims team at Leigh Day allege that Love Holidays, based in Hammersmith in west London, is liable for negligence claims on the part of its suppliers.
The firm alleges that the holiday operator and their suppliers provided incorrect information about food allergens and misled Idris as to the contents of the food he was served – which staff should have known would have been harmful to him.
It’s also alleged they failed to provide adequate allergy training to staff, implement measures to avoid cross-contamination of food and administer medical care to Idris following his reaction.
Colin Murphy, the Leigh Day solicitor representing Idris’ family, said: “We are supporting Idris’ family in a legal claim against Love Holidays.
“The loss of their son while on holiday in Turkey has been devastating.
“Holidaymakers should be able to go on holiday safe in the knowledge that measures will be taken by hotels that work with UK tour operators to protect them in case of food allergies.”
“We are deeply saddened to hear of Mr Qayyum’s passing and would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time.
“The safety of our customers is our top priority and we are conducting a thorough investigation with the hotel involved as a matter of urgency.
“As Mr Qayyum’s family have now instructed lawyers, we are unable to provide any further comment.”
In August data revealed that the number of people with allergies in the UK has doubled in the last 10 years.
The reason behind the steep incline is yet to be discovered, but theories include changes in the Western diet, more processed food and less exposure to germs.
