Secondary Drowning

😮‍💨Don’t worry – we have not had any incidents of secondary drowning, but we have received emails from worried parents in the past (they were false alarms), so we thought we would refresh your memory.

1. Secondary drowning is when a child’s airway opens up, letting water into their lungs, where it builds up, causing a condition called pulmonary edema. The end result is trouble breathing.

2. Symptoms usually present immediately after any incident in the water. Symptoms to watch for are:

   • Persistent coughing

   • Difficulty breathing

   • Extreme fatigue

   • Vomiting

   • Fever

   • Irritability or mood changes

   • Pallor (pale in color)

   • Confusion or disorientation

3. Children should not be choking or coughing on the water too many times in a lesson. If they do more than three times per lesson, it means the skill is too hard for them and you should not continue with it.

4. If you are worried about one of your children because they are showing any of these symptoms after doing a tough skill, please call Clo on her personal line. Do not discuss secondary drowning with parents as it will make them very nervous. If Clo is concerned, she will speak with the parent and have them watch for the signs.