By: Akanksha
In September, the life of a baby boy named Alexander was saved after his dangerously racing heartbeat was brought to his mother's attention by the unusual behavior of the family's pet Doberman, Saraya. His mother, 41 year old Kim Reynolds of Shepton Mallet, Somerset, was alerted.
In an interview in which her full story and statements were shared with the British press agency South West News Service (SWNS), Kim explained how the dog gave the warning by displaying unusually needy behavior, refusing to leave the baby’s side, and crying every time he was taken away from her that morning. Because the infant was suffering from an undiagnosed heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which sent his heart rhythm soaring to 280 beats per minute, Kim was prompted by Kim was prompted by Saraya’s clingy behavior to have him rushed to the emergency department at Royal Bournemouth Hospital just in time.
The dog refused to leave the baby’s side throughout the morning and whined every time they tried to move him. Later in the day, Alexander showed signs of distress and illness. He was taken to the emergency department at Royal Bournemouth Hospital by his mother.
Kim, who is a former canine hydro-therapist and first-time mum, realized something was wrong with Saraya.
“Saraya knew his heart rate was higher than it should’ve been. I had no idea. I dread to think what would have happened if I had just put him in the cot and walked away. The doctors say SVT isn’t dangerous, but sustained SVT is,” said Kim.
Kim said Saraya’s behaviur was like a noise playing in her mind. It was bugging her that the dog was trying to tell me something wasn’t right. She was confused about why Saraya was being so needy and obsessive. It certainly added to her concern and made them go in to get checked.
When they arrived at the emergency department in September, Kim was initially worried that they were wasting the medical staff’s time as Alexander had stopped crying. However, shortly afterward, they realized he had a dangerously high heart rate of 280 beats per minute.
Alexander first had to be dunked by medical staff into a large bucket filled with cold water and ice in order to return his heart rate to normal.
They put Alexander in, and the scream was horrific; that’s all she heard, Kim recalled. They did it twice and his heart rate still hadn’t come down.
After his head had been submerged for 10 seconds, Alexander still had an elevated heart rate and was placed back into Kim’s lap. She then decided that enough had been done, and requested that an intravenous medication be tried by the doctors. His heart rate was finally brought down by three doses of the medication, and the family was transferred to Poole Hospital via ambulance.
The use of very cold water on the face is one type of vagal manoeuvre, a technique that stimulates the vagus nerve to help slow an abnormally fast heart rate. According to the NHS, if vagal manoeuvres do not work, doctors may use medication administered through a vein to help restore the normal heart rhythm. However, the specific technique used in Alexander's treatment has not been independently confirmed.
Kim stayed in the hospital with her son for two nights. Two days after their first visit to the emergency department, Alexander was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Kim describes the syndrome as an extra bit of tissue in his heart, which basically means electrical pulses can get through where they shouldn’t. That’s when he can’t calm his heart rate.
Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a congenital heart condition, meaning it is present from birth. It occurs when an additional electrical connection develops between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. This extra pathway can disrupt the heart's normal electrical signaling and trigger episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), causing the heart to beat abnormally fast. In babies and young children, symptoms may include breathlessness, paleness, irritability and unusual restlessness.
WPW syndrome is usually diagnosed using an electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the heart's electrical activity. Depending on the patient's symptoms and clinical assessment, doctors may also recommend additional investigations, such as prolonged heart monitoring, an exercise ECG, an echocardiogram or an electrophysiological study.
To manage the condition, he now takes a beta-blocker called propranolol three times per day using a syringe. Kim said that he understands he needs to take it and happily drinks it from the syringe, calling it “hassle-free.”
Also Read: New AI Tool Detects Widely Underdiagnosed Heart Condition
Saraya showed different behavior around Alexander later that month. Kim recounted that he was in his bouncer and she was next to him, licking his hands and looking at her. Her first thought was, ‘Oh God, are we going to go into SVT again?’
After checking Alexander's pulse, Kim noticed that his throat looked red and took him to the emergency department. He was diagnosed with bacterial tonsillitis and prescribed penicillin.
Kim said she completely trusts Saraya, although the dog is neither a trained nor a registered assistance dog. She added that Saraya would be by Alexander's side whenever possible.
After the incident, Kim was introduced to a small charity called Tiny Tickers by her sister Francine. The organization aims to improve early detection and treatment of babies with serious heart conditions. They also offer support to the families. To raise money for the charity, Kim and Francine took part in a 100-mile challenge in October.
Kim has made it her mission to spread awareness about checking babies’ hearts after seeing how easy it was to miss the signs.
Kim explained that she didn’t realize the work they did. It’s become really close to her heart. She went to a health visitor to get him weighed a couple of weeks later, and they had no idea what SVT was. She is a first-time mother, and it’s been a whole experience. She noted that it’s really important to raise awareness, as one might wonder how many babies have it and don’t realize it.
She added that she’d never heard of Alexander's syndrome when the physicians scanned him. It wasn’t picked up at birth or at previous hospital visits. She said his care at Bournemouth and Poole was faultless. She’s well aware some babies have much more serious heart conditions, but early detection is just as important, and the charity helped her realize that.
References:
1. National Health Service (NHS). “Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.” Accessed October 31, 2026.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome/.
2. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust. “Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-we-treat/wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome/.
3. National Health Service (NHS). “Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT).” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/supraventricular-tachycardia-svt/.
(Rh/APC/MSM)
