A Midlothian mum has told of the scary moment her 12-year-old daughter fainted on the way to school - and thanked the kind strangers who helped her.
Brooke Donaghy, 12, was walking on Tuesday morning when she collapsed getting off the bus in Easthouses.
Fortunately, the bus driver stopped and stayed with the schoolgirl while calling her mum as he did not feel safe leaving her alone in that condition.
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Natasha Smart, 33, from Mayfield, has expressed her gratitude for the kind bus driver and the lady who stayed to look after Brooke and was afraid of what could have happened if they didn't step in to help.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live the mum said: "Everything was all normal that day. She got up and dressed, I packed her bag and away she went at 8.05am to school.
"I got a phone call from Brooke's phone at 8.20am while I was getting ready for work and getting her two younger sisters ready for school.
"A man answered and asked 'Is this Brooke's mum?' I said yes. He said I'm the bus driver of the bus your daughter Brooke was on today.
"Of course, panic set in. He said Brooke had fainted on the bus when she was exiting at her stop, I was like oh my god is she okay? He then told me she is very white and doesn't look very well.
"I asked where they were and he told me the roundabout at Newbattle high school so I told him I was on my way and he said he would stay with her till I arrived."
The mum then raced to the bus stop at the local school while panicking about what could be wrong with her daughter.
She continued: "I loaded the car up and headed down which took maybe two minutes as it is not far at all. I pulled up behind the bus that was turned off and Brooke was sitting at the door in the fresh air. The man was standing with her making sure she was ok as I arrived.
"He then explained to me as she was getting off she just passed out and he felt like she didn't look well so did want her walking off by herself he said if it was his own daughter he'd have done the same.
"I thanked him then took Brooke to the car she said she felt OK just tired and we went home and I got Brooke a drink and a snack quickly to get her sugar levels up.
"When I went to get her sister at the school gate she was still white said she felt very tired on the way to the Sick Kids and told me there was a nice lady talking to me when I was on the floor asking me if I was ok.
"That made me feel a bit better. She only remembers feeling sick and then getting funny patterns in front of her eyes then she remembered a lady asking if she was ok."
After having something to eat and a rest poor Brooke still wasn't herself so the mum rushed her to the Sick Kids to make sure it was nothing sinister.
"Brooke said she felt like she was in bed still dreaming for just a second till she remembered where she was, on the floor of a busy bus and was still confused so I took her up to the sick kids just to make sure she was fine and to give her a check over.
"They said her vitals were perfect, did some push-in-pull tests and listened to her heart which was all good.
"We were then sent home with advice if you feel like you are going to faint put your head on your knees for a few minutes and standing up is the worse thing you can do as it's harder for your blood to get where it needs to go.
"The lady who helped Brooke reached out to me last night and said she had been thinking about her all day. I told her how thankful I was for helping she said she has a son of her own and would hope someone would help if it was him if he was in need of it.
"I emailed the bus company with the details I had as well, to thank the bus driver for going above and beyond for Brooke," she said.
Natasha continued: "The hospital said it could have been that she's been running about stressing about missing the bus and she didn't take her breakfast with her that morning, as it was on the counter because I had made her pancakes.
"Usually she eats them on the way to the bus stop but that morning she didn't take them so it could have been that.
"It just showed me the danger of kids running out the door to meet friends or saying I'm not hungry or just not taking in that breakfast is the most important part of the day.
"No matter how healthy they are always make sure they have or take something in the morning because this time she was fine, it was nothing serious she just got a scare but it could have been a lot worse.
"This morning she was up and dressed and I stood with her toast in my hand and we hugged at the door and she left.
"When she went I texted her about five times to make sure she was okay and by the fifth time she was like right Mum I'll be fine."
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A low blood sugar level, also called hypoglycaemia or a "hypo", is where the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood drops too low and mainly affects people with diabetes, especially if they take insulin.
Early signs of a low blood sugar level can include sweating, feeling tired, dizziness, feeling hungry, tingling lips, feeling shaky or trembling, having a fast or pounding heartbeat, becoming easily irritated, tearful, anxious or moody and turning pale.
A low blood sugar level can be dangerous if it's not treated quickly, but you can usually treat it easily yourself.
If a low blood sugar level is not treated, you may get other symptoms, such as, weakness, blurred vision, confusion or difficulty concentrating, unusual behaviour, slurred speech or clumsiness, feeling sleepy, seizures or fits and collapsing or passing out.
To treat low blood sugar you can have a sugary drink or snack – like a small glass of fizzy drink or a couple of jelly babies or you may need to eat your main meal (containing a slow-release carbohydrate) if it's the right time to have it.
You can find more help and guidance here or contact your local GP or NHS 24 for more advice.
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