Shock tot was minutes from death
Siew Peng Lee • Published 25 May 2012 09:00
4 Comments
A QUICK-THINKING neighbour saved the life of a Dunfermline tot who was "a couple of minutes" from certain death.
Three-year-old Parker Watt, of Abel Place, suffered a severe allergic reaction on Saturday and would have died from anaphylaxis if not for neighbour Anna Crawford-Ripton, a retired army nurse.
Parker's mum, Amanda, said, "I was in such a state. Nothing I can do will ever make up for her saving my son's life."
She had taken her son home after he took ill playing in Anna's garden.
But Anna (46) felt compelled to go with them and her training kicked in when she saw Parker's swollen face, throat and eyes.
She dragged the unresponsive Parker off his mum, lay him on the floor and told Amanda to call NHS 24.
She administered first aid but when he took a turn for the worse, took the phone, called for an ambulance and gave him the kiss of life.
At that point Parker was struggling to breathe and Anna feared she would lose him before paramedics arrived.
This week a grateful Amanda (23) said she was "forever in Anna's debt" for saving Parker's life.
She said, "If she had not come home with me I would have let him sleep and he would have died."
Anna said, "He was literally a couple of minutes away from death. He had changed within five minutes from an allergic reaction to anaphylaxis.
"Just before the ambulance arrived I had started to turn him over to start mouth-to-mouth - he stopped breathing and it was a couple of quick puffs that he needed."
Anna, who runs her own fabric design business from home, said it was "very scary" but added, "anybody would have done it".
She continued, "I followed Amanda through because he just didn't look right. He had piriton which should immediately have taken effect. His tongue, throat and eyes were swollen and he was struggling to breathe.
"He wouldn't have woken up if he had been left to sleep - it was just that I spotted it and put him in the recovery position and kept the airways open.
"At one point before the paramedics arrived I thought I was losing him. I
thought, 'I am going to struggle now'.
"I didn't have the equipment and would have had to revert to basic army field medicine but luckily I didn't have to go that way."
Anna praised the paramedics as "superb", adding, "Luckily they were not too far away - they were near the big Asda.
"They struggled to get the tube in his throat, it was as bad as that. They said if they had been just a little further away I'd have struggled."
Parker had been in close contact with cats and dogs since Wednesday and it's believed this caused the allergic reaction.
After a night in hospital, Parker was this week recovering from his ordeal. Amanda also plans to have him checked for further allergies.
Anna, who recently lost her mum, called it a "day of fortune" and felt "mum was on my shoulder".
"Something just made me follow her through to her house. I was pushed out the door.
"That little boy has a guardian angel somewhere."
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 23 May 12
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Blackadder
257 posts
May 27, 18:37
Report commenttriskell, still the impotent vacuum-head of old. Cue apoplexy.....
Recommend?
Yes 24
No 24
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jollymolly
93 posts
May 28, 15:19
Report commentWell done Anna Crawford-Ripton !! for saving this little boy..
Recommend? Yes 25
No 5
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DLineRes
4 posts
May 30, 18:59
Report commentWell done. A good news story and glad he is okay.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 2
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midge1
53 posts
Jun 2, 00:12
Report commenthow lucky was that wee one ,to have someone close by to assist glad the outcome was good he looks good with a lovely twinkle in his eyes
Recommend? Yes 3
No 1
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