A teacher was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence for feeding two pancakes to a 6-year-old pupil, allergic to lactose, who died.
- The child fell ill before dying of anaphylactic shock in hospital.
- Lactose intolerance consists of a problem digesting the sugar contained in milk and its by-products and is caused by a lack of lactase.
- In France, between 30 and 50% of the population have poor lactose digestion.
On Tuesday September 15, Danielle Dampfhoffer, a 59-year-old teacher in Limas (Rhône) was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence for manslaughter by the Villefranche-sur-Saône criminal court for having left one of her students , lactose intolerant, eat two pancakes. Jahden, the 6-year-old, suffered anaphylactic shock while walking home with his mother. He died shortly afterwards.
Symptoms that appear very quickly
The facts took place during the carnival. The students, after a parade, were invited to taste the pancakes prepared in the morning. “You don’t have to eat it”, said the teacher in response to Jahden who claimed her share. “Yes, I eat it at home”, replied the child. She will learn only later that if he eats it well at home, they are pancakes with water. After some hesitation, the teacher gave her two shares for “seven or eight” for the others. Very quickly, the child has an allergic reaction, coughing and asking for his bronchodilator. During the day, his condition deteriorated rapidly and Jahden became unwell before dying of anaphylactic shock in hospital.
Lactose intolerance consists of a problem digesting the sugar contained in milk and its by-products and is caused by a lack of lactase. Lactose, not transformed by lactase, is found in the intestine where it ferments, causing uncomfortable digestive symptoms. The first symptoms appear quickly, as with Jahden, between 30 minutes and 2 hours after eating lactose-based foods. Digestive symptoms vary from excessive intestinal gurgling, feeling of bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Almost half of the affected population
In France, between 30 and 50% of the population have poor lactose digestion. The reasons for this intolerance vary according to the age at which it occurs. In infants, it is rare, and is due to congenital lactase deficiency. In children, it is generally a transient intolerance which results from gastroenteritis and is revealed when the intestine heals. For adults, intolerance comes from poor adaptation to food diversification.
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