“Dry Drowning” Another Reason To Monitor Children’s Safety in Swimming Pools
June 7th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
The beginning of swim season seems tragically marked each year by a rise in child injuries or deaths in pools. Kids always rush to the water when the swimming pools open and school’s out. We as parents and adults must be vigilant every summer in reminding our children that safety is always first, and monitoring their time in the pool. But this story from South Carolina (USA) shocked me because it’s such a little known danger - “dry drowning”. A 10 year old boy went swimming in a public pool and at some point got water in his lungs. He walked home conversing with his mom and sister, took a bath and feeling tired, went to bed. He died an hour later - drowned by the water he’d inhaled at the pool. Apparently in some people, there can be a delayed reaction to inhaling water; as much as 24 hours.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), some 3,600 people drowned in 2005, the most recent year for which there are statistics. Some 10 to 15 percent of those deaths w[ere] classified as “dry drowning,” which can occur up to 24 hours after a small amount of water gets into the lungs.
According to the story, three important signs of dry drowning are difficulty breathing, extreme tiredness and changes in behavior. People affected may not exhibit them all; in this case, the boy did not have trouble breathing at first, he was walking and speaking. In children the signs may be so subtle that unless you know what to look for they will be completely missed. I know I would have had no clue. Now when my small nephews visit me next, I will be more aware of their behavior during and after swimming. Hey, this could even happen to adults, too. I hope this story helps all to recognize and prevent dry drowning; it could mean the difference between life and death. For more information on drowning statistics and prevention methods, visit the CDC’s safety website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drown.htm.
Boy’s death highlights a hidden danger: Dry drowning - MSNBC.com
Boy dies after swallowing swimming pool water - AP
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