Dry Drowning Kills 10 Year Old

A 10 year old died more than an hour after swimming. While swimming, the boy got water in his lungs (known as aspiration).
Drowning is death by submersion in water. If water gets into the lungs and manages to interfere with the way oxygen is absorbed into the blood, we call it a near-drowning.
Occasionally, salt or contaminants in aspirated water will cause the lungs to fill with water from the bloodstream. This water foams up and fills the lungs -- interfering with oxygen transfer. Water from the bloodstream collecting in the lungs is known as pulmonary edema.
When pulmonary edema happens following a near-drowning incident, it's known as dry drowning. If it isn't caught quickly dry drowning can be fatal, as in this case.

Keep an eye on your kids when swimming. Any kind of odd reactions (according to his mom, this boy soiled himself in the water) may indicate aspiration or near-drowning. He also got extremely tired shortly after getting out of the water, which can be a sign of too little oxygen.

• Swimming Safety
• Pool Safety
• Near-Drowning
• Shortness of Breath Symptoms