The state Department of Education is reviewing whether a 10-year-old student with disabilities received appropriate treatment after having a seizure on a school bus on Sept. 13.

The girl, who attends Queen Kaahumanu Elementary School, has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, a condition caused by a fetal injury when alcohol is consumed during pregnancy. The illness led to the seizure on a Roberts Hawaii school bus dropping off the student at her home in the Ala Moana area.

The child’s grandmother and legal guardian, who asked not to be identified, said although the seizure was happening while the bus was outside her home, nobody contacted her about the emergency. When the girl’s aunt came to take her off the bus, she saw her still strapped into her seat belt with no medical attention, the grandmother said.

“They should have taken her out of the seat belt and laid her on her side. Then they should have called me immediately to come get her,” she said. “They should have called 911. I’m beyond upset.”

The bus company called the home about 20 minutes later, but did not speak with the child’s grandmother, who received an incident report from Roberts Hawaii about a week later, she said. The grandmother spoke at a news conference Thursday called by Rep. John Mizuno, (D, Kalihi Valley, Kamehameha Heights), chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee.

“Student safety and well-being are the primary responsibility of all student transportation stakeholders. In the event of an accident or medical emergency on a school bus, all contracted transportation service providers must follow standard operating procedures,” said DOE spokeswoman Lindsay Chambers, adding that the department is looking into this incident to “ensure that all procedures were followed between the bus company, school and family.”

Roberts Hawaii officials said that employees took appropriate action.

“We completely understand that families will of course be concerned about the well-being of their child,” said Wayne Fernandez, director of safety and security for Roberts Hawaii, the bus company contracted by the DOE to transport special needs children. “Due to privacy laws protecting the children, we’re not able to offer much comment on the specific details of this incident, but we can share that the DOE maintains extensive protocols designed to protect and safeguard its students, which our employees followed. That includes procedures for appropriate emergency response and communications with emergency personnel, schools and families.”

Fernandez added that all drivers have extensive training and that student safety is the first priority.

“We can’t allow this incident to repeat itself. Thank God it wasn’t fatal,” Mizuno said. “It’s paramount that we ensure proper protocol so (children) will get the best access to health care should they fall into some medical condition.”

He added that fetal alcohol spectrum disorder should be classified in the same category as autism, and have the same support within the DOE system.

“This is an opportunity to make right and make better a system for our keiki. We got a lot of support for autism at the DOE,” he said. “Any disability should be given the highest priority.”