Schoolboy praised for quick thinking after saving his baby sister's life

Having recently attended an emergency services training course, Mengham Junior School pupil, Hayden Goodright, 11, put what he had learnt into action after his baby sister, Ava, was found to be choking on a piece of rice cake.

'˜I was upstairs playing with my cousin when my mum shouted up to call an ambulance. I knew there was a button on my mobile which called straight through to emergency services and so I didn't have to waste time unlocking my phone,' explained Hayden.

'˜He knew exactly what to do and he remained so calm, clearly telling the ambulance service about our location and what was wrong with his sister. He could so easily have panicked and run down the stairs which would have wasted time,' said mum, Sadie Hughes.

Having made the call, Hayden came downstairs to find his sister '˜wheezing and turning blue'. The quick thinking youngster then ran outside to call on the help of a nearby neighbour who was also a retired nurse.

Eventually they managed to dislodge the obstruction before the ambulance crew arrived and were able to check the seven month old baby was okay.

'˜I was scared at the time but I tried to act calm so that the situation could be sorted out. Once I came downstairs I could tell what was happening and I was just hoping she would be okay,' said Hayden.

Sadie added: '˜I was so proud of how calm he remained and how supportive he was after the event.'

The incident took place on December 3, less than three weeks after Hayden attended the '˜Junior Citizen' course run by Havant Borough Council.

Hayden's class teacher, Chloe Rowsell, said: '˜For Hayden to attend this course and then need to use what he had learnt just a few weeks later just shows how important it is for children to be educated in what to do in such a situation.'

Co head teacher, Edward Harrison, added: '˜Hayden didn't tell us about what had happened and we found out by a friend in the emergency services who was impressed by Hayden's actions. We are really proud of the fact he has used what he has learnt and put it to use in a difficult situation.'

Hayden credits the course with ensuring he reacted in the most effective way to potentially help save his sister's life. 

'˜I remembered about the need to be calm and explain things clearly on the phone. It is really important for all children to learn what they should do in case they are ever in a similar situation,' said Hayden.  

 

LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE

Coincidentally, the 11-year-old is the second youngster called Hayden to be commended for keeping a cool head and calling 999 in an emergency in the last two months.

In November The News reported that seven-year-old Hayden White, of Gosport, called paramedics when his dad Dan collapsed. 

Dan, who has Type 1 diabetes, suffered a hypoglycaemic fit and was left lying unconscious on the floor in the family's living room in Gosport.

At the time Dan said: '˜I am so proud of Hayden for saving me and it is great that he really took on board what we told him previously to do if anything like this were to happen but obviously we didn't think anything like this would.'