I have never heard of this before. Sorry if it has been posted before but I did not see it! With the summer heat here already I thought I would post this! http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,362815,00.html GOOSE CREEK, S.C. — A 10-year-old South Carolina boy died last weekend several hours after he swallowed water in a swimming pool. Goose Creek police say Johnny Jackson swallowed some water while swimming in a pool at his apartment complex around noon Sunday. Police say he later complained he was tired and took a nap. When someone checked on him, water was coming out of his nose and he was having trouble breathing. The boy later died at Trident Hospital. Berkeley County Coroner Glenn Rhoad told the Charlestown Post and Courier of Charleston the boy's lungs were filled with water and he died of asphyxiation. Rhoad said there was nothing suspicious about the death. The boy, a fourth-grader called "Jon-Jon" by his family, essentially drown, medical experts told the Post and Courier. Not all drowning deaths happen immediately. Other phenomena, such as secondary drowning, can occur as much as 72 hours later and without any warning signs. Dr. Nelson Rosen, director of the trauma center a Schneider Children’s Hospital on Long Island, said secondary drowning is scary because there is a latent period where the victim looks as though they are fine. "Any choking episode could be concerning," Rosen told FOXNews.com. "The only question is this: Everybody’s had a mouth full of water and choked, how do you know whether it will cause secondary drowning? I would say that if there is a significant episode to the point where people are concerned about the child’s well-being, then that should be investigated." Rosen said parents should be on the look out for symptoms of respiratory or breathing problems, coughing and a "raspy" voice, as these could be indicative of injury to the lungs. Although secondary drowning is a concern, it amounts to only 5 percent of total drownings, Rosen said. "These are episodes that are not unheard of by any meaning, but even regular drownings are a relatively rare event in modern society," he said. "But I would still caution that any significant event be checked out in an emergency room. And if people now have a low threshold for these types of things, I would say that's fine. Better to err on the side of caution."
Wasn't there a mother sent to prison for this same thing a few years ago? Originally they accused her of something - defense used this same type of drowning as the defense... I think later it was determined that is what happened... But I think she served some time for it first... I could be getting my facts messed up...
Not sure - but there was a local case where the parents forced a child to drink too much water as some kinda punishment - and he died from it. Maybe that's what you're thinking about?
I've also heard about something similar, water intoxication. Although secondary drowning includes excessive water in the lungs, children can also swallow too much water and die from complications. Remember the Mom who drank tons of water to win some radio contest for her child and died? I believe she purposely withheld using the bathroom, but a child's small body frames can't handle as much as an adult. Very scary. :-(
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5001282&page=1 This ABC article seems to give more details and the whole thing has me really freaked out. I know that the odds of something like this happening are extremely small but your mind still wanders to thoughts that it still actually could happen. I'm not going to be able to enjoy my new pool because I'm going to be so worried about my son swallowing the water. Here are just a few of the scarier quotes from the article: Johnny would have only had to inhale four ounces of water -- about six teaspoons -- to drown, and even less to injure his lung enough to become a victim of secondary drowning, Epstein said. "Anyone who has been submerged and has aspirated should seek medical attention." My question is, and maybe some of you can tell me, but how do you know for sure that they have aspirated the water? I mean he has swallowed water and it makes him cough like crazy before but I didn't think he had aspirated it. "If your child comes out of the pool and seems sleepy or lethargic, watch them very, very closely," Jackson said. "Rush them to the hospital or call 9-1-1 immediately." If my child has been playing in the pool all day he may seem sleepy so I wish they would clarify that it is "extra" sleepy. They do talk about other symptoms (the soiling himself multiple times would be one) so I guess these are other things to put together with it. I know that the best and only thing that I can do is watch him carefully and go with my gut if I think that something is wrong but it's just so scary that there are virtually no symptoms. Anyway, I'm just venting my fears. I know I'm not the only mom that is freaked by this.
kidsfly - thanks - yes that is the one I was thinking of... Found one of the news links: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/102905/
That is so scarey. I had heard of this before and have always reminded my kids not to drink the water or to close their mouths in the pool because I was a little paranoid of them swallowing too much water.
I had not heard of this and it frightens me very much! I am a paranoid mama anyway! Thanks for sharing.
