Parents' heartfelt thanks for 'miracle' efforts of staff at Pendle dental surgery who 'saved our baby's life'

Tiny Larosa Nancy Wilkinson was leaving the Albert House Dental Practice in Colne with her mum, Julie Hind, when she suddenly became unresponsive.

Julie (40) screamed for help and within seconds several members of staff came to her aid and dentist, Plamen Murzov, performed CPR on the tot before calling for an ambulance.

Larosa's dad Jason Wilkinson, who was at work during the drama, has paid tribute to the staff saying: "Their fantastic group effort literally could have saved our daughter's life and I cannot put into words how grateful we are."

The couple went along to the Albert House Dental practise yesterday to thank the team in person and present them with wine and flowers.

All staff are first aid trained as part of their professional development and this is updated every year.

Ironically, Plamen had only just completed his CPR training three weeks before the drama and 16-month-old Larosa fell ill at the surgery on a Monday, one of the two days that he works there.

Jason said: "He said all staff are trained but I am just so grateful to him for what he did.

"If the incident had happened 15 minutes earlier or five minutes later, when Julie had left the surgery or perhaps even on a different day I think the outcome could been totally different and one that doesn't bear thinking about."

The drama unfolded during a routine check up at the dental surgery for Larosa's older brother Seamus Kaye who is 14.

Although the toddler had experienced some sickness a couple of days before the incident and she had been checked over by the family GP she seemed to be getting better.

Jason, who is 32 and runs his own window cleaning business, said: "Julie was carrying Larosa down the stairs at the dentists when she became unresponsive and her eyes were rolling into the back of her head and her mouth was full of water

"Nothing like this has ever happened to her before so Julie was extremely distressed.

"The ambulance arrived within a couple of minutes and blue lighted her to Airedale General Hospital."

Once at the hospital Larosa was placed on oxygen and doctors managed to stabilise her while her family, including her other brother Elyias (15) kept a bedside vigil.

But the tot experienced a similar episode while in hospital which doctors believe could be a febrile seizure which can occur when a child has a fever although at the time the tot did not have a temperature.

Jason said the family were grateful for the surgery's policy to pay for staff training so they could perform the 'miracle' that saved their daughter, adding: "If more companies made sure their staff are trained like they are at Albert House there would be less chances of that unbearable ending happening that we thankfully avoided."

Alison Phelan, who is the surgery's head nurse, said she hoped the drama would stress how essential first aid was in any workplace.

Alison said: "We do training at least once a year as part of our continued professional development.

"I have been here for 38 years and it's the first time this has happened on this scale and I hope it's another 38 years before it happens again.

"If Larosa had been a few minutes earlier or later it could have happened in the street or the car.

"As a team it all fell into place on the day and everyone did their bit and we are so happy for Larosa and her family."

The bright and lively toddler, who can already walk and say a host of different words, is now back to to her old self.

But doctors are continuing with tests to get to the root of what caused her collapse.

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/grateful-parents-of-toddler-thank-pendle-dental-practice-staff-for-saving-our-daughter-s-life-1-9793543