Four-year-old is a real life-saver after mum collapses at home
When mum Louise Rush collapsed, the Silksworth four-year-old knew exactly what to do, comtacting dad Stephen at work and deialling 999, then talking to the emergency operator before letting paramedics into the house.
Louise, who has now been diagnosed with epilepsy, suffers from endometriosis and has fainted previously, but this was the first time she had suffered a full seizure.
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Hide AdA child protection worker for Sunderland City Council, she was at home with Emily, 15-month-old Rosa and six-week-old Charlie when she was taken ill without warning.
“I was in quite a lot of pain, but that is quite normal,” she said.
“I began to feel a bit weird and the next thing I knew, I was waking up with the paramedics.
“I have fainted a few times before, so Emily has seen that happen in the past and that is why she knew she had to contact her dad, but I have never had anything like this happen before.”
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Hide AdEmily used Louise’s phone to contact Stephen at work, using its personal assistant software to find the number she needed to ring him.
“She used Siri to contact her dad - which we had no idea she knew how to do,” said Louise.
“She got hold of him at work and said ‘Mummy won’t wake up.’.
“My partner was saying to her ‘Give Mummy a shake, see if you can manage to wake her up,’.
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Hide Ad“Because she had rung his work number, he had to ring her back on the mobile.
“In that time, she had called an ambulance.
“She did everything they told her to do to make sure I was still breathing.
“I was having a seizure and she told them I was shaking, then she opened the door to let the crew in.
“And she looked after her two siblings as well - she even gave Charlies his bottle to settle him down.
“She has done an amazing job.”
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Hide AdLouise, 26, is now recovering in Sunderland Royal Hospital and looking forward to getting home.
“Emily is loving all of the attention and rightly so as it’s well deserved.
“She wants to go to Miller & Carter for a steak when I get home as her treat.
“I could not believe what she has done - I am so proud of her.
“We have told her before about what she ought to do if I am taken ill, but she has far exceeded that.”