<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hospital staff and paramedics "robbed" a 15-year-old boy of his best chance at survival by failing to intervene earlier after he suffered an allergic reaction, his grieving parents say.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span> teen Max McKenzie died in August 2021 after suffering a cardiac arrest and an acute brain injury following his admission to hospital for an anaphylactic shock.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was allergic to peanuts and tree nuts when he ate apple crumble at his grandmother's house.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tax-relief-for-beer-lovers-but-spirits-drinkers-call-for-reform-of-broken-system/b582f1b3-3bca-4d84-924b-09aaf5f63023" target="_blank"><strong><span>Tax relief for beer lovers but Nationals call for reform of 'broken' system</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Neither Max nor his grandmother were aware the dessert contained nuts and he suffered an anaphylactic reaction soon after.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He told his mother he felt sick, and administered an EpiPen and ventolin as he also suffered from asthma, before his father Ben - an emergency physician - called an ambulance.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Max's condition deteriorated rapidly in the hours after and, while being loaded into an ambulance, he expressed concerns he was going to die.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/medical-workers-robbed-child-of-chance-at-survival-max-mckenzie/9f18b918-878b-4b10-81c4-ebb82e0641aa" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He died in hospital on August 19 after scans found he had suffered an acute brain injury.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victorian Coroner David Ryan held an inquest into Max's death and the interventions given to him in the lead-up and today found several steps were missed by medical professionals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This included by paramedics, who failed to give him adrenaline at the earliest opportunity, and medical staff at Eastern Health's Box Hill Hospital, who did not intubate him soon enough.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier and more adrenaline, and quicker establishment of an airway via intubation upon arrival at hospital, "would have given him the best opportunity for survival", the coroner said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/woman-charged-with-cruelty-after-death-of-baby-boy-queensland/98770e1e-82dc-4c33-8a19-46bc70623352" target="_blank"><strong><span>Second person charged after death of baby boy in Queensland</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"However, I am not satisfied that his death was preventable as a result of the treatment by paramedics and clinicians on that day," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It may have been, but I am not able to be comfortably satisfied that it was preventable."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ryan said the circumstances were "rare and incredibly challenging" for all medical professionals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He found a graduate paramedic should have driven the ambulance with lights and sirens to hospital, allowing her instructor and an intensive care paramedic to care for Max in the back.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The coroner recommended Ambulance Victoria review its guidelines for the treatment of patients with asthma and anaphylaxis, to ensure consistency in administration of adrenaline.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He also recommended graduate paramedics undergo emergency driving training before they hit the road, to ensure more experienced workers were in the back treating the patient.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Outside the court, Max's parents expressed their concern over missed opportunities to save their son's life.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/wellington-deputy-mayor-nonce-apology-new-zealand-news/a77dfccd-5b3f-4a5d-b316-b7a750589184" target="_blank"><strong><span>NZ deputy mayor apologises for calling member of the public a 'nonce'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's been four-and-a-half years to get to these coronial findings, it's been a long journey," Dr McKenzie said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While not every aspect or concern we have about Max's care was able to be addressed today, the coroner found that Max should've got more adrenaline from Ambulance Victoria and he should've been intubated on arrival at Eastern Health Hospital.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Those two things didn't happen, and they robbed Max of his best chance of survival.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Max should not have died."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dr McKenzie gave CPR to his son after he was taken to hospital on August 6, which he said should never have happened.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I should never have had the opportunity to participate in Max's resuscitation because it should have been done before I got there and I think the coroner has highlighted that today," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Max's mother said the hospital told them their care of the 15-year-old was "best practice and today the coroner has told us it wasn't", as she asked for a "heartfelt apology" from Eastern Health.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Max was let down in so many ways, at so many points in time, and the coroner has found two points where Max's care was not appropriate and not OK," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ambulance Victoria and Eastern Health have been contacted for a response.</span></div></div>