On July 21, an ordinary morning almost turned into a tragedy at the Herndon family in Virginia Beach. While preparing breakfast for her children and having just sat down at the table, Kailene Curran Herndon suddenly suffered a violent epileptic seizure and lost consciousness.
His last memory? Sitting next to your two-year-old daughter in her high chair, before waking up straight in the hospital.
Between these two moments, his son Zayden, only 7 years old, took charge with impressive composure. Faced with his inert mother and his crying little sister, the young boy immediately grabbed the phone to dial 911, the American emergency number.
He was able to communicate his exact address and respond clearly to the operator’s questions. He even consoled his mother by telling her: “It’s going to be okay mom, it’s going to be okay“, while putting his little sister safely on the dining room table.
Regular training from a young age
If Zayden didn’t panic, it’s not by chance. His mother has been telling him and teaching him what to do in an emergency since he was 2 years old. The family regularly practiced memorizing the address of the house and recognizing situations that required raising the alarm.
“We trained a lot because we never know if or when it might happen to us.” Kailene told local media. “Calling 911 is not a game, but they should know how to do it in an emergency“. A preparation which bore fruit and which today makes those close to him proud.
An official distinction awarded by the police
Impressed by the little boy’s responsiveness, the local authorities wanted to publicly salute his heroism. On August 11, the Virginia Beach Police Department presented him with the Citizen Lifesaving Award, an honor reserved for citizens who help save a life.
Officer James Hylton, who initiated this appointment, expressed his admiration. “I started to think about everything that had happened, and I thought that was a lot for a 7 year old. It’s impressive“.
How to teach your child to sound the alarm?
Zayden’s story reminds us how fundamental it is to introduce children to emergency reflexes. From the age of 3, a child is able to remember the essential numbers:
- The 15th (SAMU);
- The 18th (Firefighters);
- And 112 (European emergency number).
Learning how to unlock the mobile phone is also an essential prerequisite.
To find out if a person is conscious, the child can do simple tests recommended by rescue agencies, such as asking: “Can you hear me? Shake my hand“. If there is no response, he must immediately call for help.
For Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical, modern tools greatly facilitate this learning. “This is the good side of children using cell phones. As long as they know how to express themselves and recognize numbers, any child can learn to dial 18, and do it in case of a problem.
He also reassures parents about the burden that weighs on the shoulders of the youngest: “Making the call is the essential action. Once online, the child will be guided by the operator’s questions, who will also be able to geolocate the call, they are trained for this. The important thing is that the child dials the number and makes the call, this is enough to trigger emergency services.“.