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Secondary drowning - Symptoms and Warning signs

father and son at the beach Do you know that the child may become drowned after leaving the sea or the pool if it has drunk ?

It looks incredible, but it is true! If someone sinked in the water and swallowed water, even if they eventually pulled him out of the sea or the pool, he is still in danger of drowning. In order to avoid complications he has to hospitalized and remain under medical supervision for up to 72 hours, depending on the amount of water he has drunk and the proportion of chemicals this contained, in case the incident occurred in a pool. Some call this situation, secondary drowning or dry drowning. Given that chhldren are the most common victims, it is a matter that we need to be aware of, to avoid the worst.

L. Kujawa experienced this very bad experience as her only 2.5-year-old son was in danger of choking her first time before her eyes and the second time a few hours later. It was saved from pure coincidence and thanks to the observation of his parents and, of course, also thanks to the pediatrician, who advised the couple to transfer the child directly to the hospital!

It all started when his mother, sitting right next to him in a shallow spa, next to a pool, left him for a few seconds from her eyes when he turned to talk to his aunt. The kid dropped into the water and sank, swallowing water, until his terrified mother pulled him out.

After the first aid was given to the child, he felt better and returned to his game. But after a while, he seemed unkempt and tired. His mother concluded that this was due to the turmoil that he had in the day's activities. So his parents took him and went home. In addition to these two symptoms, the baby boy also began to cough without any obvious reason. The mother contacted the pediatrician, recounted the incident and immediately received instructions to lead the child to the hospital, as well as the doctor said, the child ran a high risk of drowning.

Fortunately their adverure ended up in a good way, while in hospital they found out that the risk of choking is imminent and threatens the life and health of each individual, even 72 hours after the incident, if that person sank into the water and swallowed water or exposed to transient suffocation!

What is secondary drowning or dry drowning?

Secondary choking may occur where there is water. In the pool, at sea or even in our bathtub, when a small amount of inhaled water acts as an irritant and causes inflammation and leakage of fluid into the lungs.

In some cases, the body can react by pushing even more water into the lungs as time passes and causing pulmonary edema, thereby reducing the ability of the child or adult to breathe and ultimately lead it to drown in the body's own fluids of! This reaction of the organism can be done even 72 hours after the incident of near drowning.

The main symptom of minor choking that should worry the parents is the cough that persists!

If a child, who has been exposed to a choking, begins as time passes, coughs, looks tired and has difficulty breathing, he must be taken to hospital immediately!

In the case of Little Ronin, when he was taken to hospital, his doctors performed a series of blood tests, as well as radiography, which was not good after showing pulmonary aspiration. So the child had to be transported to another hospital in order to see a special pediatrician who gave a specific treatment that removed the fluid that had accumulated in his lungs.

A few days later, the little Ronin was fine. Parents, however, learned from the doctors that what happened to their own child was not uncommon. They even said that due to incomplete information, parents did not pay attention to the coughing of children, they put them to sleep, and they never woke up. So his mom, feeling incredible remorse, decided to publish her blog experience, Delighhed momma, to help inform other parents.

Watch out!

The World Health Organization has restricted the use of the term "secondary choking" as it considers that the term "drowning" encompasses it, since the "secondary drowning" is the result of the initial condition.

Prevention measures are the main means of coping and reducing drowning.

Be always be next to your child, whether inside or outside the home, when the child is in the water.
Do not leave it, even for seconds, out of your sight.
If you need to move for any reason, take the child with you
Do not rest on the fact that the child is wearing bracelets.
Teach your children how to swim.
Never leave the child alone in the bathroom. Let the phone or the doorbell ringing!

What to do if the child is in danger!

If, despite the safety measures you are taking, your child is in danger of choking, you must turn the child upside down and press his chest to get the liquid out.

If the child does not breathe, you should take artificial respiration and massage and seek professional help.

If the child insists on coughing, it should be taken to the hospital immediately.

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