THE family of a Southampton teenager who died after suffering a series of seizures are set to sue a Hampshire school.

Daniel Stickland, 17, died the day after he had suffered five “episodes”, including at least two full-blown epileptic fits, within 11 hours at St Edward's School.

An inquest heard that staff at the boarding school in Sherfield English did not call an ambulance until the fourth incident at 2.30am on May 14 last year when Daniel fell out of bed.

Paramedics said they were told Daniel had only suffered one major seizure, information that influenced their decision not to take him to hospital, the inquest was told.

Staff members from the school disputed that and said the paramedics were given a fuller history.

Daniel was discovered four hours later by staff lying on the floor of his room. They tried to save his life before he was taken to Southampton General Hospital where he died on May 15 last year.

Assistant south Hampshire coroner Sarah Whitby concluded Daniel died of sudden cardiac arrest and undiagnosed epilepsy.

However she criticised the school saying she would be making a report to “address the concerns I have regarding written record-keeping and certain confusions about responsibility and chain of command” in a bid to prevent future deaths.

“I do expect there to be an addressing of those concerns,” she told the inquest at Winchester.

Daniel's mum, Sharin Gilmour, of Seagarth Lane, Shirley, Southampton, told the hearing: “Had I been told that the school had called an ambulance following a further fit (at 2.30am) and that the ambulance crew had checked Dan and deemed him to be well and not taken him to hospital, I would have insisted Dan was taken to hospital as it would have been his second fit in a short time which would have been unusual.”

The inquest heard that the protocol was that people are taken to hospital after suffering three seizures. Daniel had only suffered two full-blown seizures before the final one, the inquest heard.

St Edward's is a school for boys with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

Daily Echo:

Head teacher Larry Bartel said: “Further to the inquest, St Edward's School respects the conclusion of the coroner and wishes to extend its deepest condolences to Daniel's family and friends.”

Vicky Hydon, a partner at Southampton-based law firm Moore Blatch, which represented the family at the four-day inquest, said the family was considering launching legal action.

She said: “This is a truly tragic case. Communication by the school during the events leading to Dan's death remains a key issue for the family, particularly whether this may have led to a different course of action and outcome for Dan.”

  •  DANIEL'S mum Sharin Gilmour paid tribute to her son describing him as a “gentle giant with a sensitive heart”.

In a statement issued after the inquest, Mrs Gilmour said: “Dan was looking forward to finishing his English and maths GCSEs within the next two days and going to college to study IT.

“My son, Dan was a gentle giant with a sensitive heart and is sadly missed by all his family and friends.

“Tragically, we were not aware of the severity of Dan's first seizure or the occurrence of a second seizure and did not have an opportunity to take Dan to hospital, where he could have been monitored and received medical treatment. Civil proceedings will be initiated against the school.”

Daniel's sister, Francesca Munday told the Daily Echo: “We feel the school failed him.”