A US mum has shared a major warning about child safety in swimming pools after her daughter ‘started drowning’ in her bed.
When it comes to pool safety, most parents will know the importance of keeping an eye on their children will they're in the water. However, there is a rare condition that can occur hours after you've left the pool.
This nightmare situation is something that Florida based mum-of-three Annie Gallagher experienced after taking her children to a local pool.
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Recalling the terrifying incident on social media, Annie revealed how her daughter - who was five-years-old at the time - began to experience symptoms of a near drowning event after going swimming.
Annie and her children had been enjoying the warm weather with a day at the pool when her daughter started coughing after swallowing swimming pool water.
"It happened in the blink of an eye – we were at the pool and she jumped in from the edge," Annie recalled, adding that her daughter has always been a 'strong swimmer'.
"She inhaled water as she jumped in, but she seemed okay and wanted to go back to playing, which she did."
Despite the coughing, her daughter had continued playing at the pool. It wouldn't be until later in the evening that her daughter began to complain about feeling unwell after bedtime.
"My first reaction was to send her back to her room for a good night’s sleep because I was still up cleaning the house for the next day," Annie said. "But something in my gut said 'Don’t do it.'"
She then said that she'd remembered reading an article online about dry drowning years ago and, despite reassurances from friends, decided to take her daughter to get checked out.
Annie's worst fears would come true in the emergency room, where doctors told her the situation could have been 'catastrophic' if she hadn't received medical attention.
Initially believing her daughter was suffering from symptoms of dry drowning, Annie would later learn her daughter had a condition known as inhalation pneumonia.
What is inhalation pneumonia?
Inhalation, or aspiration pneumonia is an infection which occurs after accidentally inhaling saliva, foreign objects and liquids into the lungs.
This causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill up with fluid and can be deadly if left untreated.
Inhalation pneumonia differs from conditions such as dry or secondary drowning, which refers to spasms of the vocal chords after inhaling water, making breathing impossible.
Explaining the seriousness of her daughter's condition, Annie said: "It only takes a teaspoon of water to cause inhalation pneumonia, which she had. She had begun to slowly suffocate as she drowned in her own fluids that were flooding her lungs. "Within hours, we were transferred to a children’s hospital."
Annie went on to add that the week had felt like a 'fever dream' to her as doctors scrambled to find a medication which her daughter responded to. After finding a treatment that worked, doctors were able to discharge Annie's daughter after seven days in hospital.
Explaining why she'd chosen to share the story seven years later, Annie said: "I want parents to know these things happen. We can’t put our kids in a bubble, unfortunately, but we have to keep living.
"More than anything, though, as a parent, trust your instincts," she added.
"Mine saved my daughter’s life."
Brenna Cooper