Queensland mum Natasha Bevacqua lay slumped in her home with son Hutch, 5, by her side.

Her tongue, quickly swelling from an allergic reaction, rendered her unable to speak with the triple-0 dispatch operator.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 28 seconds 3 m 28 s Listen to Hutch take over the triple-0 call after mum Natasha collapses. Download 1.6 MB

"I was trying to say that I couldn't breathe and they were having lots of trouble trying to understand me," the Sunshine Coast mum said.

"I just remember my eyes closing and fading out … it was on speaker and they were saying 'Hello, hello is anybody there?'"

Hutch, in his little five-year-old voice, answered, "Yes, I'm here."

As the operator calmly asked if mummy was awake, he told her that his mummy had gone to sleep, was not talking and needed a drink of water.

"You've got to go and look at her and tell me if you can see that she's breathing … can you grab her hand and squeeze it? Say 'Mummy' and see if she opens her eyes," the operator instructed.

Over the next few minutes, with the operator on the other end of the line, Hutch bravely did as he was told, opening the front door for the paramedics who were yet to arrive, holding his mummy's hand, and even alerting a neighbour about the unfolding emergency.

"I could go over to the next door neighbours and see if they can come over?" he suggested, adding that he knew the neighbour.

"Take the phone with you and keep talking to me … can you run Hutch? You've got to be quick," the operator told him.

As he arrived at the neighbour's house, he banged on the door until it was answered.

"My mum's sick and she won't open her eyes," he said.

By the time Ms Bevacqua reached the hospital, she had no pulse.

"The doctor actually said I was very lucky to be here," she said.

Special award for 'old soul'

Hutch Bevacqua is reunited with paramedics Sarah Jackson and Gavin Mahon, who saved his mum's life. ( ABC Sunshine Coast: Bruce Atkinson )

Hutch, who was yesterday presented with a Certificate of Appreciation award for his bravery on the Sunshine Coast, said he felt "good" to be called a hero.

"I feel very happy and very brave," he said.

Parents can help by teaching children: The number to call in an emergency is triple-0

The number to call in an emergency is triple-0 How to dial triple-0 from a home and mobile phone

How to dial triple-0 from a home and mobile phone Their address and parents' phone numbers

Their address and parents' phone numbers About the importance of triple-0 and reiterate that it's only for use in an emergency

About the importance of triple-0 and reiterate that it's only for use in an emergency If any family members have medical conditions, such as diabetes or epilepsy, tell children so they can let the operator know. SOURCE: Queensland Ambulance Service

Ms Bevacqua, who has since been reunited with the attending paramedics, has not listened to the triple-0 call.

"I think I'd be very emotional listening to him … how brave and how special he is," she said.

She described her son as a calm, placid boy, "an old soul".

"I'm very proud but very grateful to the ambulance and to Hutch because I owe him my life," she said through tears.

Ms Bevacqua said she had discussed with her son the role of police, ambulance and fire officers in the community and how they were there to help, but they had not discussed what to do in an emergency.

"He was quite comfortable talking to them but had had no training at all. He's just a very special being," she said.

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