Neighbour saves toddler

Parents urge others to learn first aid after their neighbour saves toddler who stopped breathing.

A couple whose two-year-old son’s life was saved by a neighbour are now determined to learn first aid and are urging all parents to do the same.

Kirsty and Lewis Mulholland, from Warboys in Cambridgeshire, believe parents should equip themselves with life-saving skills so they never have to suffer the feelings of blind panic and helplessness they experienced when their son Buddy stopped breathing.

On 28^th January Mum, Kirsty, had taken their nine-month-old daughter Bonnie to the doctor as she was unwell. The doctor diagnosed a viral infection. By the afternoon, it seemed Buddy was suffering from the same infection as he was lethargic and off his food.

Kirsty gave him medication to bring down his temperature and then started putting him to bed. She’d just finished reading his story when he suffered a febrile convulsion.

“His eyes rolled back in his head, his jaw was locked and he was fitting,” said Kirsty. “I ran downstairs with him, shouting at Lewis to call an ambulance. Everything was a blur at the time but all I could think of was that I had to get him to my neighbour who works for St John Ambulance.”

Kirsty ran across her garden to the home of St John Ambulance trainer Jim Smith who lives two doors away. Before she reached Jim’s house, Buddy stopped breathing.

“My wife Tina and I were watching television when there was a knock at the door and there was Kirsty with Buddy who was lifeless and not breathing,” he said.

“I grabbed the child and put him on the floor to assess him. He was completely unresponsive so I started resuscitation while Tina was looking after Kirsty. I gave him a couple of rescue breaths but didn’t get as far as chest compressions as he gave a sudden gasp and started breathing again.”

“He opened his eyes and I called to his mum that he was ok. But then he lost consciousness again so I put him in the recovery position while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.”

“You just never think something like this is going to happen to you,” said Kirsty. “But now I know it can happen to anyone, anywhere at any time. I keep thinking about what would have happened if it hadn’t been for Jim. He’s my guardian angel and I’ll never be able to repay him.”

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