Twelve-year-old western suburbs resident Matilda Little has been recognised for her bravery and quick thinking after she helped save her mum Katarina Aleksevic during an anaphylactic reaction.
On 1 November, the pair were at home when Katarina started experiencing a reaction to a chocolate bar she had eaten.
With Matilda’s help, Katarina administered her EpiPen, but her symptoms continued to progress including tightness in her throat, shortness of breath, nausea and tingling in her lips.
Knowing it was a medical emergency, Matilda wasted no time calling triple-0 and was instructed to administer a second EpiPen.
When Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics arrived on scene minutes later, Matilda directed them to her mum and provided as much information about what had happened as she could.
Katarina said her daughter showed maturity, courage and calm that many adults would struggle to maintain in such a terrifying situation.
“It was a deeply traumatic event for both of us. We were both shaken but I am so grateful Matilda knew what to do,” Katarina said.
The paramedics stabilised Katarina and extricated her from the home using a stair chair device, before taking her to Sunshine Hospital for further monitoring.
AV advanced life support paramedic Louise Creasey said Matilda’s efforts made the world of difference to her mum’s outcome.
“From the moment we arrived on scene Matilda was an amazing help,” she said.
“Anaphylactic reactions can be unpredictable, and the patient’s condition can worsen in a short amount of time, so it’s important to recognise and treat them accordingly.
“Luckily, the EpiPens had been promptly administered to Katarina, with the adrenaline helping to improve her condition. Thanks to Matilda’s efforts, we were able to stabilise her mum and promptly transport her to hospital for further monitoring.”
Katarina said she hopes the experience encourages other parents to teach their children what to do in an emergency.
“It’s important your family, including your kids are aware of your allergy emergency plan, as you may find yourself faced with a sudden reaction where you can’t call for help yourself,” she said.
“Having that conversation with your kids, although difficult, is important as it might just save your life.”
