Can children and adults really suffer fatal injuries as a result of “dry drowning” or “secondary drowning” in San Marcos this summer? Parents often hear about—and worry about—the risks of dry drowning, yet according to a recent article in TribLive, physicians say that there are many misconceptions about dry drowning and secondary drowning that need to be cleared up. These terms suggest that they refer to medical conditions, when in fact they often are used in many different scenarios in which people are suffering from a variety of medical conditions. As such, parents do not need to worry about dry drowning, but they do need to be aware of other medical conditions that can arise when a child is involved in a drowning accident.

Dry Drowning is Not Real, But Other Medical Conditions are

According to Dr. Peter Wernicki, who is a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, the terms ‘dry drowning’ and ‘secondary drowning’ are ones that have “totally been over-hyped by social media and people who are not knowledgeable on the subject.” He went on to emphasize that there is a common misconception that kids get rescued from the water or accidentally swallow or inhale water in the ocean or in a pool, and then suddenly—without warning—the child stops breathing hours or days later. As Wernicki underscores, “that just doesn’t happen.” Indeed, he clarified, “a child doesn’t act fine for eight hours and then die from drowning.”

Yet this does not mean that a near-drowning incident can not result in other serious medical conditions that can in fact lead to death if left untreated. For instance, kids (as well as adults) who are involved in near-drowning incidents can contract aspiration pneumonia. This is an “infection that develops from water trapped in the lungs.” Yet, as Wernicki highlights, this is not a situation that could be described as drowning, and it is also very rare. Other serious infections and conditions can also happen after a near-drowning accident, but they have warning signs, and they simply should not be classified as dry drowning or secondary drowning given that each is distinct.

Signs of Aspiration Pneumonia and Other Conditions Resulting from a Near-Drowning Incident

Recognizing that the terms ‘dry drowning’ and ‘secondary drowning’ have become misleading, the American Red Cross has recommended that healthcare providers stop using them. Parents often bring their children to the doctor after the child has ingested water while swimming, worrying that the child could die as a result of dry drowning. Yet doctors underscore that this is not time well spent. Kids who do have aspiration pneumonia and other conditions show signs like “coughing and labored breathing many hours after leaving the water,” which means that parents would know if there was a problem.

Instead of spending time seeking treatment for kids with no symptoms, pediatricians recommend that parents spend time on drowning prevention methods, including swimming lessons and CPR training.

Just because dry drowning is not a real condition does not mean that parents should not be vigilant about signs of harm after a near-drowning accident. The following are symptoms that may require medical attention:

• Increasingly rapid breathing;
• Labored breathing;
• Lethargy; and
• Any general signs that the child is not well.

Contact a San Marcos Drowning Accident Lawyer

If your child suffered serious harm in a drowning accident, you should speak with a San Marcos drowning accident lawyer about your options. Contact the Walton Law Firm for more information.

See Related Blog Posts: Oceanside Residents and the Pool Safety Act California Hotel Liability and Swimming Pool Accidents

(image courtesy of Ryan Wilson)

If you live in Carlsbad and spend a significant amount of time at the beach with your family, it is important to carefully consider the risks of drowning accidents in open water. While drowning dangers certainly exist at home swimming pools, a new study addresses the growing risk of drowning in open water. An article in Today discusses the recent study conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide, which suggests that “families need to pay more attention to swimming safety—especially in open water.” According to the study, drowning rates in open water have increased, and parents need to take preventive measures to ensure their children’s safety.

Swimming Pool Drowning Accidents Decrease While Open Water Drowning Incidents Increase

The Safe Kids Worldwide study focuses on the fact that most drowning prevention education and outreach tends to highlight the dangers of swimming pools. Parents learn about the need to keep pools fenced so that children can not accidentally enter the pool without adult supervision, and the importance of always keeping an eye on any child who is swimming. This kind of outreach work, according to the study, has helped to reduce the rate of swimming pool drowning accidents across the country. At the same time, however, the rate of open water drowning accidents has risen.

According to Morag Mackay, the Safe Kids Worldwide director of research, “we used to hear a lot about kids drowning in pools and there has been a fair amount of work done in that area, and we have seen those drowning decrease.” Yet as Mackay emphasizes, “drownings in open water have increased.”

Approximately 43% of drowning accidents happen in open water, while only about 38% of drowning accidents occur in swimming pools. In 2016 alone, 1,000 kids died in drowning accidents, while near-drowning incidents resulted in more than 7,000 kids visiting emergency departments for medical treatment. Around 80% of kids who drown in open water are males between the ages of 15 and 19.

Getting the Facts About Kids and Drowning Risks

Whether you are staying in San Diego County this summer or taking a family vacation elsewhere, you should make sure to learn about all of the risks surrounding open water. When safety experts talk about drowning risks in open water, they are referring to all of the following locations where kids and families tend to swim:

• Oceans;
• Rivers;
• Ponds;
• Lakes;
• Reservoirs;
• Retention ponds; and
• Quarries.

Why is swimming in open water so dangerous? As the study explains, learning to swim in open water is a lot different than learning to swim in a pool. Open water swimming areas often have dangers that pools do not have, including but not limited to the following:

• Rocks and vegetation that can be slippery or cause wounds;
• Distances that are difficult to judge;
• Limited visibility;
• Shifting currents that can be dangerous;
• Limited to no visibility;
• Stark differences in temperature; and
• Often steep drop-offs.

If you take your family swimming in an open water area, poor swimmers should always keep life jackets on at all times, and you should only swim in designated areas where life guards are on duty.

Contact a Carlsbad Drowning Accident Lawyer

If your child or someone you love recently suffered injuries in a drowning accident, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. A dedicated Carlsbad drowning accident attorney can help with your case. Contact the Walton Law Firm today to learn more about how we can assist you.

See Related Blog Posts: Oceanside Residents and the Pool Safety Act California Hotel Liability and Swimming Pool Accidents

(image courtesy of Matt Hardy)

Identifying Drowning Risks in Southern California

Most of us assume that young children are among those most likely to suffer fatal injuries in a drowning. As a result of this assumption, we often expect that adults can handle themselves when they’re in the water, and we’re less likely to suspect a drowning accident. However, the recent report showed that, “while toddlers are at higher risk for water-related emergencies, they weren’t the age demographic most likely to die in the water.” To be sure, adults aged 65 and older “drowned more frequently than any other age group.”

Between 2011 and 2013, 38 adults within the 65 and up age group suffered fatal injuries in a drowning accident. When we compare that with the number of young kids who died, we can see that only 11 children under the age of 5 years old suffered similarly fatal drowning injuries. In total, 105 people drowned in Orange County between 2011 and 2013. Of those victims, 90 were adults and 15 were children.

Where do these drowning accidents occur? In short, they happen anywhere that water is present, including the ocean, lakes, swimming pools, spa whirlpools, and even bathtubs. In response to the number of elderly drowning deaths, the Orange County Fire Department has attempted to step up its water safety awareness programs, and it’s hoping to aim those programs toward older adults in Southern California.

Why are elderly Californians more likely to drown than persons in other age groups? According to the data in the county report, there are a number of “incremental factors ranging from medical emergencies such as heart attacks to intoxication by alcohol or drugs.” While we cannot always know whether someone will suffer an emergency while they’re in a body of water, emergency medical responders emphasize that there’s “one thing that can mean the difference between life and death: whether someone in the water is alone or accompanied.”

Water Emergencies Happen, and You Shouldn’t Be Alone

To be sure, drownings happen to adults who know how to swim. And they’re often fatal because the adult was in the water by herself or himself. We often emphasize the “buddy system” to our kids when we talk about water safety. Yet the buddy system isn’t just for young children. Even adults who consider themselves to be experienced swimmers shouldn’t go into the water alone.

Since January, Orange County has seen six water-related deaths and four near-drowning incidents. Of those reported, five of the accidents included adults over the age of 50. Data from San Diego County shows that more than 30 drowning deaths tend to occur each year. To be sure, in 2009, 34 people drowned in San Diego County. While that number showed an increase from the previous two years, it doesn’t appear to be an anomaly. In 2004, for instance, the county reported 41 water-related deaths.

Drowning is a common cause of unintentional deaths in Southern California. As we near summertime, it’s important to think about water safety and taking responsibility for young children and older adults who may frequent the pool or the ocean. In the meantime, if you or someone you love drowned, you should contact an experienced San Diego drowning accident lawyer about your case.

Photo Credit: Doug’s Graphics via Compfight cc See Related Blog Posts: Fatal Nighttime Diving Accidents Six Children Suffer Near-Drowning Accidents Over a Two Day Span