Leah stays calm and saves mum

Published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 08:35

A SEVEN year-old girl today described how she saved her mother who had suffered a seizure after learning what to do from last week's Children In Need television show.

Leah Grant was praised by police for her "bravery and quick thinking" by checking her sick mother's breathing before calmly dialling 999.

The primary three pupil gave details of her mother's attack to emergency services before running out to neighbours' homes to seek help.

Her mother Grace, 47, who had no previous history of seizures, was rushed to hospital following the incident at 7am on Sunday, but has now recovered.

Her daughter had climbed into her mother's bed feeling unwell, but started to notice she was becoming confused at simple questions and then started to violently convulse.

Mrs Grant fell out of bed and onto the floor at their home in Avontoun Park in Linlithgow, West Lothian, prompting Leah into action.

The Linlithgow Primary School pupil said: "I came to ask my mum where my blanket was, but she didn't make any sense when she answered me. Normally she would just tell me where it was, or help me find it. That's when I knew something was wrong.

"I had seen a programme on Children on Need where an eight-year-old boy saved his dad and that's how I knew to call 999.

"Mum was still breathing so then I called 999 and did what they told me. I said my mum had fallen on the ground and I didn't know what was happening.

"They told me to put my mum on the phone, but she was too confused to talk. I kept checking she was OK then I went out to find a neighbour to help but they weren't awake yet.

"Then one of my neighbours saw me running past his window and he came to help when the ambulance came."

Mrs Grant had a CAT scan at St John's Hospital in Livingston and is set to undergo further tests at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on Monday as doctors work to diagnosis the cause of the seizure.

Her daughter added: "I'm glad my mummy's OK now and I'm proud I could help."

Mrs Grant, who works as a lab technician in Edinburgh University's biomedical science department, said: "Leah didn't hesitate – I don't think I would have been as calm as she was and I am so proud of her. She realised there was something wrong before I fell out of the bed. She said my eyes had gone very big."

Her husband of 22 years, Robert, 44, who works at Burtons' food factory in the Capital, said: "We're very proud of Leah, who is mature and sensible for her age. She not only gave the paramedics her address, she gave them her postcode too!"

A police spokesman said: "If it wasn't for Leah's bravery and quick thinking, emergency services might not have got to her mother and it could have ended a lot worse for the family."