Boy Dies Of 'Dry Drowning' After Leaving Pool
Date: 2008-08-28 10:05:46
Source: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011193998...
Submitted By: Come Get You Some
Charleston, SC (AHN) - A 10-year-old South Carolina boy died of "drowning" several hours after he was on dry ground, a coroner's report has found. Johnny Jackson died of "dry drowning," a form of asphyxiation that happens when a small amount of water gets into the lungs and damages tissue, causing the lungs to swell and fill up with water. The boy's mother, Cassandra Jackson, said Johnny went swimming in a local pool at Goose Greek on Sunday. Though the child didn't show any signs of respiratory distress, he "soiled himself," NBC News reported. He walked home with his mother and sister and after his mother bathed him he told her he felt sleepy. When she went to check on him later she saw his face was covered in a "spongy white material." He was rushed to hospital but died of cardiac arrest on the way. Doctors believe when water gets into lungs accidentally, like it had in Johnny's case, the lungs can't bring oxygen to the blood or the brain. The water can flood the lungs up to 24 hours after swimming or bathing. In very rare cases, it can also occur following a bath. Experts recommend not letting a child swallow too much pool or bath water. Sometimes water enters the windpipe after diving or jumping into a pool. Any forced pressure on the front of the neck during swimming can also be a trigger. Parents should look out for symptoms including difficulty breathing, extreme tiredness, and changes in behavior, which result from the brain not getting enough oxygen because of water in the lungs. Copyright © 2003 - 2008 AHN - All rights reserved.
