Few things are more frightening than a child (or anyone) falling overboard from a boat without a life jacket on. Although Florida law requires only young children to wear personal floatation devices (PFDs), boat owners are required to have enough for everyone on board and in the appropriate sizes. For example, if there are children on board, they can’t be expected to wear an adult size. Of course, everyone should wear a PFD to help prevent drowning.
There are other dangers that could be lurking even if you’re able to get your child out of the water safely. One of these is called “secondary drowning.” It can be fatal if the victim doesn’t get medical treatment as soon as possible.
Too often, however, this doesn’t happen because the symptoms don’t appear right away. They often take hours to show up. Sometimes, they don’t show up until the day after the victim was in the water. Even when they do appear, parents and others around the victim often don’t understand their seriousness.
Symptoms of secondary drowning
Secondary drowning involves water going into the lungs. That can result in pulmonary edema, which can impair breathing. Other symptoms may include:
- Coughing
- Chest pain
- Extreme tiredness
It’s important to note that adults can also suffer secondary drowning, but not as often as children do. Further, it can also occur in a pool or any body of water. If someone gets swept up in a strong wave, it can occur, for example. Babies can even suffer it in a bathtub.
Don’t ignore a potential case of secondary drowning
If your child has gone into the water, and you’re not sure how much they’ve breathed in or swallowed – or you know they’ve breathed in or swallowed a fair amount — it’s wise to take them to a doctor or get emergency medical assistance as soon as possible. Until then (and likely afterward), it’s important to watch them carefully. Secondary drowning can be fatal.
If a negligent or reckless party is responsible for secondary drowning – for example, if a boat owner didn’t have the appropriate PFDs on board – it’s smart to explore your options for holding them liable for medical costs and other expenses and damages.