No one knew. They asked so many questions — and eventually concluded that he had been exposed to something airborne. Armed with this information, I had many questions for the school: did they spray something, exterminate pests, or paint? Had something gone on in school that day that was different from any other day? I wanted to know anything that could help us find a resolution.
I did not want my son to be exposed to something that could kill him. I was at my wits end, but at the same time hoped it was just some sort of fluke.
As Brandon continued to attend classes, we quickly noticed a pattern. He was fine at home, but at school he would get sick — headaches, trouble breathing, welts on his face and arms, blurred vision and stomach pains. His health was compromised to the point that he had to be kept at home for weeks at a time before returning to his classes.
His reactions continued to worsen. The school nurse had to administer a life-saving dose of epinephrine before he was taken by ambulance to the hospital. By simply going to school his life was in jeopardy. By a small miracle, during the last year of middle school, Brandon recognized a scent in the hall, wafting from a group of boys he was coming back to school after several weeks of homeschooling.
As he inhaled, his throat started to close and he quickly realized that it was this scent that was the cause. Since then, I have reached out to everyone that I could, including top-notch experts, hospitals, doctors and specialists in the field. Their only suggestion was to avoid the trigger.
But Axe Body Spray is a very popular product among teenage boys. How can my son avoid something that is so frequently in the air around him? The worst part is that by law, I am not allowed to know what chemicals my son has been exposed to. How can I not be allowed to know? I struggle every day with this. I am currently seeking the help of an expert at Yale Medical School, Dr. Carrie Redlich, who is evaluating Brandon after reviewing the list of hidden chemicals.
These fragranced products are considered an environmental and occupational hazard. Our kids are not working at a manufacturing plant. They are simply going to school. Why should a child, or anyone, ever have to go through this? I have also pressured politicians to help me. The bills are definitely an exciting step in the right direction, but so many questions remain. Will they pass? Will they be properly enforced? What will it take to protect children like my son and other students who unknowingly get sick from the air in their schools?
Brandon can no longer go to school because of chemicals he gets exposed to — doctors say they could kill him. The school attempted to convince the student population to refrain from wearing Axe, but they are just kids and that did not work. My son just wanted to be a regular kid. School was supposed to help him achieve that very reasonable goal, but instead, he has been robbed of his health.
When Brandon was 10 years old, I packed his lunch, put him on the school bus, and a child was spraying Axe Body Spray in his class. We must think about the air our children are breathing at school. We must encourage schools to be fragrance-free.
My son is one of the strongest people I know. I often wonder how and when this journey will end. I do know one thing though. I am in it, with him, to win it. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.
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