Warrnambool parent's first aid training helped avoid serious burns

THANKFUL: Pat and Lucy Mahony with their sons Ollie, 18 months and Henry, 4, are thankful they went to Rhythm First Aid's infant and child first aid course. Picture: Kimberley Price

The quick thinking of Warrnambool parents Lucy and Pat Mahony saved their 18-month-old son Ollie from serious scars for life after he pulled a cup of coffee onto himself.

Mrs Mahony was in the shower when Ollie was scalded by the boiling water but thanks to the child and infant first aid course she and her husband completed in 2019 with Rhythm First Aid, she was able to act quickly and efficiently to help their son.

"For about the first 30 seconds, me and my husband were like 'what do we do?'," she said.

"And then the training kicked in. I was in the shower and turned it cold and got him in with me.

"Before the training, I knew to put burns under some kind of water, but the training taught me to do it for 20 minutes and to make sure it's not freezing water.

"The paramedics and doctors praised our work. If we hadn't done it, he would've been flown to Melbourne straight away."

Ollie stayed in a Warrnambool hospital over night and was then referred to the Royal Children's Hospital for two check-up appointments.

Mrs Mahony described the incident as the "scariest" and "saddest" moments of her life but was thankful for her first aid knowledge.

"The burns were all down his belly and onto his leg," she said.

"Now on his stomach we can't see a mark and on his leg where the burn was a bit deeper there's still a bit of red. We just have to use sorbolene three times a day."

Ollie is the Mahony's youngest son and Mrs Mahony said when their oldest Henry, 4, was born, child and infant first aid training wasn't a course they knew about.

"We didn't do it with our first," she said. "Our friend said they were going to one and would we like to join.

"We did all the baby classes before Henry was born but they didn't really talk about what to do in an emergency. Children's first aid is different to adults.

"Now I think it's the most important skills to have as a parent.

"I 100 per cent recommend the Rhythm First Aid course - you're never going to regret knowing how to save a child's life."

To book into an upcoming Infant + Child First Aid Course – rhythmfirstaid.com.au/