Everyday Mom

Did anyone hear about this?  I just read a news story on MSN about a 10 year old boy whose recent death was caused by dry drowning.  I had never heard of such a thing before, and quite frankly I wish I hadn’t.  Additionally some 350+ people died from “die drowning” last year.  More than an hour after this 10 year old little boy from South Carolina got out of the swimming pool, he died.  His mother had taken both him and his sister swimming to a local pool in Goose Creek, South Carolina.  Sadly, it was the first time he had ever been swimming.  At some point during his swim, water got into his lungs.  How did this happen?  The news article doesn’t clearly say, but I am now very concerned.  I tease every summer about how much pool water my kids ingest.  They come up from under the water gagging and choking, and they must go potty a 100 times!  Could this happen to them?

The scary part is that the mother never had a real clue that anything was wrong.  Just before they left the pool, the little boy had an accident in the water.  She got him out, dried him off, and the three of them walked home together.  He physically walked home from the pool!  His mother gave him a bath and cleaned him all up.  After the bath, he told her he was tired (What kid isn’t after swimming and having a nice warm bath?).  So, she let him lay down to rest.  Later, she went to check on him and found him lifeless with a spongy white material all over his face.  He was rushed to a hospital, but it was too late.  The water in his lungs had severely decreased the oxygen levels to his brain and other parts of his body, and he basically drowned.  It was so horrible to read, but it really made me think.  Were there signs that she could have noticed if she had known what to look for?

 The news story listed a few.  Read them and be aware.  Summer is here and our children will be drawn to the water.  I will definitely be a more watchful parent when it comes to water play.

1.  Difficulty breathing–Is your child having trouble breathing.  Are they breathing heavy, is it labored, are they short of breath. 

2.  Extreme Tiredness–This happens when your brain lacks oxygen.  If they need to sleep immediately or are having trouble functioning, that should be a concern.

3.  Changes in Behavior–Is your child doing things that they wouldn’t normally do?  Are they acting out unnecessarily?  Are they having accidents, like this little boy, that would be uncharacteristic for them?

If you suspect that something is wrong, don’t wait.  Get your child to an ER.  A doctor will be able to quickly determine if there is a life threatening issue.  Most importantly, watch you kids at play, especially in the water.  We all want them to have fun in the summer sun, but we are responsible for keeping the fun safe.