The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Nine-year-old hero steps in to save dad’s life after epileptic fit
Boy remembered first aid skills and came to rescue
A nine-year-old Fife boy stepped in to save his father’s life when he suffered an epileptic fit while standing on a chair.
James McMahon, who lives in the Abbeyview area of Dunfermline, came to the rescue when Arthur Adlam fell during the fit.
As the drama unfolded on Monday evening, Lynburn Primary School pupil James remained calm and put Arthur into the recovery position.
Arthur said: “I was putting stuff away, so I was standing on top of a chair.
“I suffer from back problems now and again and I felt a slight twinge but ended up falling from a fit.
“My wife Leanne is heavily pregnant, so she couldn’t do anything to break my fall and she shouted for James to help.
“He put me in the recovery position and stopped me from choking. He was just brilliant.”
Taking charge of the situation, James got his younger siblings Xander, 8, and Sophie, 6, to fetch pillows to prevent Arthur from suffering a head injury.
“James just took control of the situation and followed everything his mum said,” said Arthur.
“He also shouted for his younger brother and sister, and asked them to fetch pillows, so I wouldn’t bang my head. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Arthur said Leanne is usually the one to respond when he has an epileptic fit, but instinct must have kicked in for James, who had learned some first aid at an after-school group a few years back.
“We couldn’t believe how grown up he was as my wife normally just deals with my fits,” said Arthur.
He added: “It’s obvious that he had been watching her closely and paying lots of attention.
“It normally takes about five or 10 minutes before I recover but if I’m fitting for more than five or six minutes, that’s when you need to ring an ambulance.
“James seemed to know all this and was even keeping an eye on the time.
“We were just so surprised at how much he remembered.
“It’s quite a few years ago since he learned first aid but it just goes to show that you might think you don’t know it, but when it happens your instinct just kicks in, even when you’re just a youngster.
“My epilepsy began when I was about 12. It does cause me a lot of problems but I try to not let it bother me and I carry on.”
He put me in the recovery position and stopped me from choking