# Oldham eight-year-old pricked by insulin pen



## Northerner (Jul 26, 2012)

An eight-year-old boy was rushed to hospital from his school after accidentally injecting himself with an insulin pen belonging to a teacher.

Ellis Edgehill picked up the device after being asked to clear the teacher’s desk during an end-of-year tidy-up at St Anne’s CE Primary, Royton.

Staff dialled 999 after Ellis pricked his right thumb on the pen’s needle – used by diabetics to control their blood sugar levels.

The desk belonged to a teacher who unwell at the time and the class was being supervised by another member of staff.

The youngster’s parents, Andrew and Lisa, now face a difficult  wait while the teacher who uses the pen is given precautionary blood tests for conditions such as HIV and hepatitis.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve..._oldham-eight-year-old-pricked-by-insulin-pen

Shouldn't have happened, but an alarmist reaction I think, especially the bit about the dangers from the insulin - when he picked it up did he accidentally dial up a dose before accidentally pricking himself?


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## trophywench (Jul 26, 2012)

Well have to say, she was a bit naughty leaving it with a needle on in the first place.


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## MCH (Jul 26, 2012)

trophywench said:


> Well have to say, she was a bit naughty leaving it with a needle on in the first place.



The other teacher had no business asking anyone -child or otherwise - to tidy someone else's desk in the first place!


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## Northerner (Jul 26, 2012)

MCH said:


> The other teacher had no business asking anyone -child or otherwise - to tidy someone else's desk in the first place!



Yes, that crossed my mind too! Would never have happened in my day!


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## evie shepherd (Apr 29, 2017)

I actually went to the school at the time I was in my last year and if anything I didn't find out until later that day when some kids in the year told me what happened in an afterschool club for children whos parents worked later and were too young or far away to walk by themselves we thought he was dead or something never saw them again I would think at least we would get something about it or maybe even a diabetes awareness course to teach us about it or how to sort things like that out


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## cardinalGT (Apr 30, 2017)

The teacher should have had the pen stored more securely in their desk. I know it was a supply/cover teacher who may not have been aware of the first teacher diabetic status so may not have realised what the item was. Kids are also curious as well. Sometimes the pens look like marker pens, so at first glance. This happened at husband's place of work where a customer had dropped a pen. It got stored in a pen pot as they thought customer may come back it. They did not and a few weeks later the same thing occured when another member of staff went to use ' a pen'.

Checking/testing for other diseases the teacher may have needs to be done. Whilst anxiety causing it is necessary. I used to work cleaning public toilets. Unfortunately there was a high amount of drug users who thought they were being good leaving this needles down the centre of toilet roll tubes.
Two staff received needle stabs and one became infected by hepatitis and became very ill as a result.
Unfortunately things like this do happen.


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## macabee (May 1, 2017)

trophywench said:


> Well have to say, she was a bit naughty leaving it with a needle on in the first place.


Agreed, should have known better, with the proviso that she was fully aware at the time.


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## HOBIE (May 1, 2017)

I think its the newspaper trying to make a storey up. The poor kid did not inject insulin themselves. Do we need to put padlocks on syringes ?


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## trophywench (May 1, 2017)

Well I agree it's a mountain being made out of a molehill - but who on earth is daft enough to leave an in-use pen lying about?  Wanted mine straight back in my handbag so a) it was safe and b) I knew EXACTLY where it was, next time I needed it.  This was for ME - not for anyone else !

Perhaps some other folk don't have the over-riding self preservation ethic my head does!  LOL


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## Copepod (May 1, 2017)

HOBIE said:


> I think its the newspaper trying to make a storey up. The poor kid did not inject insulin themselves. Do we need to put padlocks on syringes ?


The risk isn't just due to insulin, but from potential risk of blood borne infections from a needle that has been used.


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## HOBIE (May 1, 2017)

The SENSATIONAL newspaper might as well say. KEEP away if you see an insulin pen there so dangerous ?   I don't buy them any more.


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