Susan GrahamDry Drowning takes another life
June 9th 2008 19:12
I felt it was important to bring this issue to press because I had never heard of dry drowning before and I believe it is something that every mother should know. Recently a 10 year old boy passed away an hour after swimming in a pool. The death was ruled a "Dry Drowning". As a mother of three I was shocked by this. I had never heard of dry drowning.
Johnny Jackson had never been swimming before, and sadly his first swim would also be his last. While swimming he swallowed some water and soiled himself, but after the incident he walked home, ate, took a bath, talked and then told his mother he was tired and laid down. His mother went and checked on him later and there was a spongy material on his face. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead - the reason, drowning - hours after being out of the pool.
10 to 15% of drowning deaths are classified as dry drowning (states The Center for Disease Control). It can happen for up to 24 hours after a child swallows a little bit of water. It can even happen in the bathtub! My children have all swallowed water by swimming, or playing in the tub. But I had never heard of this before. I certainly was not aware of warning signs that you should watch out for.
The three main signs of dry drowning are:
1. Difficulty breathing
2. Extreme tiredness
3. Changes in behavior
These symptoms can be hard to recognize, especially if you spend the whole day swimming with family. I know that a day of fun in the sun and water makes my children very cranky and tired. I am not sure I would think twice about my child being tired and cranky. That is what makes dry drowning so difficult to prevent. If caught in time dry drowning can be prevented by getting your loved one to the hospital where they will insert a breathing tube until the lung has time to heal itself. Unfortunately for Johnny's mother, she received this information to late.
Please, watch out for dry drowning. As a parent I know that I will now be paying extra attention to my children after a day in the pool, or after a playful tub time. Let's let Johnny's passing not be in vain - let's learn from him and save a life. Please pass on this information to all that you know... and may Johnny rest in peace and his mother's heart begin to heal from the loss of her son.
Johnny Jackson had never been swimming before, and sadly his first swim would also be his last. While swimming he swallowed some water and soiled himself, but after the incident he walked home, ate, took a bath, talked and then told his mother he was tired and laid down. His mother went and checked on him later and there was a spongy material on his face. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead - the reason, drowning - hours after being out of the pool.
10 to 15% of drowning deaths are classified as dry drowning (states The Center for Disease Control). It can happen for up to 24 hours after a child swallows a little bit of water. It can even happen in the bathtub! My children have all swallowed water by swimming, or playing in the tub. But I had never heard of this before. I certainly was not aware of warning signs that you should watch out for.
The three main signs of dry drowning are:
1. Difficulty breathing
2. Extreme tiredness
3. Changes in behavior
These symptoms can be hard to recognize, especially if you spend the whole day swimming with family. I know that a day of fun in the sun and water makes my children very cranky and tired. I am not sure I would think twice about my child being tired and cranky. That is what makes dry drowning so difficult to prevent. If caught in time dry drowning can be prevented by getting your loved one to the hospital where they will insert a breathing tube until the lung has time to heal itself. Unfortunately for Johnny's mother, she received this information to late.
Please, watch out for dry drowning. As a parent I know that I will now be paying extra attention to my children after a day in the pool, or after a playful tub time. Let's let Johnny's passing not be in vain - let's learn from him and save a life. Please pass on this information to all that you know... and may Johnny rest in peace and his mother's heart begin to heal from the loss of her son.
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