Moment brave boy, 4, saves mum's life with 999 call after asthma attack

An incredible recording has captured a four-year-old boy talking to a call handlerafter dialing 999 for his mum after she suffered an asthma attack and was left unable to speak.

Joshua Miller made the life-saving call from his family home in Ayr when his mum Katie, 35, became unwell on December 29 last year. An ambulance crew was quickly dispatched to the house, and attended to Katie before rushing her to Ayr Hospital for treatment.

The youngster was presented with a certificate of commendation from the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) by the same crew for saving his mum's life and now they have shared the recording of the youngster's brave 999 call. He spoke to call handler Lauren Inglis, who was later nominated for a national award. In the call Lauren speaks to Joshua through the process of helping Katie.

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Lauren says: "You're four? Well done. Okay Joshua, can you tell me why mummy needs an ambulance?" Joshua replies: "Asthma." Lauren then says: "Your mummy has asthma, so is she having trouble with her breathing?"

Joshua replies: "Yeah," and Lauren asks: "She is, okay Joshua, you're doing a brilliant job. I just need to ask you some more questions, you've done such a good job already. When she talks to you, is she talking to you like she normally would?"

And the four-year-old says: "No." Lauren described Joshua as "astonishing" for being able to help his mum during her asthma attack last year.

She said: "He is a very young child, but he was incredibly amazing. He came on the phone and told me his mum wasn't well, he could tell me his mum was having an asthma attack.

"Joshua was able to tell me their address, exactly where they were, and even what room of the house they were in and if the front door was unlocked. He was an incredible example of what telling your kids how to phone emergency services really is.

"He answered all of my questions so well, I don't think I had to repeat any of them, which for a child of four or five with the attention span they have is astonishing." Katie was discharged from hospital the following day, and was able to return home to Joshua and his younger sister Abbie, three.

She said: "We are beyond proud of Joshua, the fact he was able to do that. It was probably quite a tough situation as a four-year-old to remember what we've taught him, like our address and things to do with my asthma.

"He stayed calm, and he's quite a shy boy naturally, so the fact he was able to speak and give those details was huge. He also kept his little sister calm, so he did really, really well."

The family later visited Ayr Ambulance Station so Joshua could be presented with his special award for his bravery. She is now encouraged by the number of her friends who were now speaking to their kids about calling 999 in an emergency as a result, reported the Daily Record.

Lauren also stressed the importance of teaching children about contacting emergency services. She added: "It's a crucial skill. A lot of them are not sure of addresses or information that can be really crucial when it comes to getting the right help."

Paramedic Marta Pabian, who was part of the crew attending to Katie, said: "At the age of four, to be able to contact the ambulance service, stay on the line and pass on the crucial details about what happened is absolutely amazing. He has been a little star. Well done to Joshua."

Joshua's 999 call in full

Lauren: "Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?"

Joshua: "Yes."

Lauren asked him his name before asking: "Who are you phoning for?"

Joshua: "Mummy."

Lauren: "Your mummy, and is mummy awake?"

Joshua: "No."

After getting some more details, Lauren asks: "How old are you Joshua?"

Joshua: "Four."

Lauren: "You're four? Well done. Okay Joshua, can you tell me why mummy needs an ambulance?"

Joshua: "Asthma."

Lauren: "Your mummy has asthma, so is she having trouble with her breathing?"

Joshua: "Yeah."

Lauren: "She is, okay Joshua, you're doing a brilliant job. I just need to ask you some more questions, you've done such a good job already. When she talks to you, is she talking to you like she normally would?"

Joshua: "No."

Lauren: "And is her face the same colour as it normally is, or is she is a different colour?"

Joshua: "It's the same colour as normal."

Lauren: "And does mummy have an inhaler for her asthma?"

Joshua: "Yeah."

Lauren: "Joshua, I'm organising help for you just now. I want you to stay on the phone for me, so I can make sure you and mummy are all right until the ambulance gets there, okay?"

Joshua: "Yes."

Lauren: "Well done Joshua, you are doing a brilliant job. Are you with mummy in the room just now?"

Joshua: "Yes."

Lauren: "You are, good job. So you keep an eye on mummy, and it's very important that if she gets a bit sleepy or anything changes with her, I need you to tell her straight away."

Joshua: "Yeah."