Babypalooza Summer 2019

Partners in Kids Health
4Watch for unlikely sources of standing water.
“A child can drown in less than an inch of
water,” says Dr. Monroe. For instance, a bucket
in the yard collecting rainwater can be deadly
for a toddler, who might stick their head in the
bucket and then not be able to get it back out.
What About Secondary Drowning?
You’ve probably seen the social media posts
about dry drowning and secondary drowning,
but Dr. Monroe says the phenomenon people
are referring to is actually fairly rare.
“Secondary drowning is not a true medical
term,” Dr. Monroe says. She explains that after
being submerged in water, a child can get a
secondary inflammation that results in a cough
that worsens over time.
“The media conveys dry drowning as a
dramatic event,” she says, “but it’s actually an
insidious, slow-onset situation.”
If a child has a minor situation while
swimming (for instance sputtering or
swallowing water), you should watch them
at home for the next 72 hours. Look for
symptoms such as persistent coughing and
difficulty breathing. “Parents know what
normal breathing looks like,” Dr. Monroe says.
“The ribs should not be pulling to breathe.”
If you remove your child from a pool and
perform CPR, the child will usually start
coughing and sputtering. At that point, Dr.
Monroe says, it’s still crucial to get them to a
physician for an evaluation. After submersion,
there’s a 6- to 12-hour period during which
they can worsen, according to Dr. Monroe.
She emphasizes the need to bring a child in
for a medical assessment as well as watch them
carefully—even if they seem fine.
GROWNUPS WERE
STUNNED AS HE
CHARMED THE SERVER
INTO GIVING HIM
ICE CREAM WITH
SPRINKLES AND
HOT FUDGE,
ON THE HOUSE!
C H I L D R E N
A M A Z E U S E V E R Y D AY
and at Children’s of Alabama, we want to
see every child grow up and live to their fullest potential.
That’s why we recruit, train and retain the most inquiring
minds, the most skilled hands and the most compassionate
hearts in pediatric medicine.
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