Mother’s young carer is shining example

Now aged eight, he knows exactly what to do when it happens.

“I have to press the buzzer and speak to the warden,” he says. “And I always get a pillow and put it under her head and get a blanket and put it over her.”

He recalls one time he saw her suffer an attack at their home in York.

“She was at the computer putting the phone away and then down she went. I was a little bit scared,” he remembers.

The Woodthorpe primary school pupil says he likes knowing he is keeping his mother Sandra Robson safe, and adds: “I don’t want her to die.”

Ms Robson, 52, has lost count of the number of times she has suffered an attack and says her son is “brilliant” at helping when one strikes.

“Sometimes it can be on a weekly basis and sometimes I don’t have one for a few weeks,” she says.

“Once I had one eight times in one day.”

Her mini-strokes, the cause of which is a mystery, have similar symptoms to a regular stroke and are frightening for both of them.

“My mouth will go to one side and then I’ll just pass out,” says Ms Robson.

“I don’t know when it is going to happen – they just come on.

“When I come round I’m still not with it. My voice goes funny and it can last a few hours or more.

“Samuel was about three or four when it started and he didn’t realise what was happening.

“It does upset him,” adds Ms Robson.

“I never know if I’m going to wake up or not.”

Ms Robson’s condition has had a profound effect on her life.

It has left her no longer able to use her right arm and she is also unable to bend her left leg.

She has to use a wheelchair to go out and requires a carer during the day when Samuel is not there to help her.

“I can’t work and I can’t do a lot,” she says.

“I can’t dress myself and I can’t wash myself. The carer has to do that.”

Samuel also helps around the house, carrying out the chores his mother struggles with.

“He does the washing and he tries to help cook – but he’s only a little boy. He can only do so much,” she says.

Samuel interjects and says he wants to cook a Christmas dinner of “stuffing and sausages and mashed potato and gravy” for her today.

“Mum isn’t going to do anything,” he insists.

“She is going to rest. She can just tell me what ingredients I need.”

The pair will spend Christmas with family in Germany but Samuel has been making their home look festive while they look forward to their trip.

“I have put the Christmas decorations up all by myself and put the cards up and I put the Christmas tree up with a purple star on the top,” he says.

Samuel says he enjoys helping out around the house – but does wish he could spend more time with his friends.

“He likes to play out or have his friends come over but I won’t let him in case anything happens to me,” says Ms Robson.

Since turning eight in August, he has been able to have a bit more fun thanks to York Young Carers.

He has been on trips to the cinema and the Illuminating York festival with the charity as well as attending its youth club.

“They are really nice and really good,” says Samuel. “I like playing pool there.”

He has also received valuable support from the group to cope with his mother’s condition and its effect on their lives.

“They help him a lot,” says Ms Robson.

“Before, he’d gone really quiet and now he’s opened up a bit more. They help him to communicate. They are really good with him and he loves them to bits.”

Making friends with other young carers has also been good for him, she adds.

“He thought he was by himself but now he realises there are other children out there that help their parents.

“He knows they are going through it as well as him.”

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