Linlithgow girl (7) saves mum’s life

Nov 26 2009 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

A YOUNG girl has been hailed as a hero for the quick-thinking which may have saved her mum’s life.

Seven-year-old Leah Grant awoke on Sunday morning and found her mum Grace having a seizure.

But the youngster kept a cool head and called an ambulance before also raising the alarm with neighbours near her home at Avontoun Park, Linlithgow.

Grace (47), who has no history of seizures, said her daughter knew straight away that something wasn’t right.

She said: “Leah came into bed with me after my husband went to work, because she hadn’t been very well, and we fell back asleep.

“But about 7.30am, Leah tells me she woke up and spoke to me and I didn’t respond, then I rolled out of the bed and she realised that something was wrong.

“That’s when she went and called for an ambulance.

“I wasn’t aware of what was going on until the afternoon, so I don’t know what I’d have done if Leah hadn’t been there.”

Seizure sufferers’ airways can sometimes become blocked, but Leah ensured her mum was breathing properly and called 999, calmly explaining Grace’s symptoms to the operator.

Leah also enlisted neighbour, David Gilmour, to reach her dad Bobby, at work.

And since Bobby couldn’t be reached by phone, David drove to Edinburgh to give him the news.

Bobby (44) was shocked when he heard about his wife’s condition, but happy to hear of Leah’s role in helping her mum.

“I went straight to hospital to check on Grace and then I phoned Leah to reassure her mummy was alright and tell her how proud we were of her,” he said.

Doctors have not found an explanation for Grace’s seizure and she now faces further tests to establish the cause.

However, she says she is just grateful her little girl was there when she needed her.

“We are very proud of Leah,” said Grace.

“I’ve spoken to some of my friends who have older children and they’ve been very impressed by what Leah did, because they say that they don’t know if their kids would have known what to do.”

And now, in light of her actions in saving her mum, West Lothian police look set to put Leah forward for an award.

A police spokeswoman told the Courier: “Leah was found to be calm, polite and very helpful to paramedics and police.

“It was felt that Leah acted in a caring, thoughtful manner, beyond her years and if not for her bravery and quick-thinking, things could have been a lot worse for the family.

“I would be quite confident that she will be recognised in some way for what she has done.”