A MUM has warned of the terrifying dangers of ‘dry drowning’ after her daughter swallowed swimming pool water.
Annie Gallagher was at the pool with her three children when the trip turned south “in the blink of an eye” after her daughter started coughing after getting out of the pool.
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The child, then just five years old, continued to play but felt unwell that evening – which triggered a gut instinct in Annie that something more sinister was at play.
Taking her to get checked in the hospital, doctors found she was suffering a ‘dry drowning’ event, having inhaled water when she jumped into the pool.
Had she not been taken to hospital that night, Annie was told the outcome would have been “catastrophic”.
Now, she has shared the shocking tale on TikTok, where it has been viewed six million times, to warn others of the dangers amid the warm weather.
“It happened in the blink of an eye – we were at the pool and she jumped in from the edge,” Annie, from Florida, US, said.
“We both got out of the water and she was coughing.
“She is and always has been a strong swimmer since she was raised in the water.
“She inhaled water as she jumped in, but she seemed okay and wanted to go back to playing, which she did.”
Annie, who works in real estate development, later took the children home from the Florida-based pool, but in the evening her daughter wasn’t feeling well and wanted to stay in bed with her.
She said: “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.
“But something in my gut said ‘Don’t do it’.
“I remembered an article I’d read on Facebook before my daughter was even born about dry drowning.
“I called friends for advice, and they tried to ease my concern, but I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in my gut.”
It only takes a teaspoon of water to cause inhalation [aspiration] pneumonia
Annie Gallagher
When they got to their local emergency room, doctors did chest X-rays and took oxygen readings.
Annie said: “They then determined that if I hadn’t brought her in that night, the outcome would have been catastrophic.”
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The little girl had suffered from what Annie called ‘dry drowning’ – which she has since corrected.
In truth, ‘dry drowning’ happens in the moments after you accidentally breathe in water.
While the water doesn’t reach your lungs in an incident of ‘dry drowning,’ the shock causes laryngospasms – or spasms of the vocal cords – making breathing impossible.
Annie’s daughter had a condition called aspiration pneumonia.
Aspiration pneumonia is an inflammation or an infection of the airways after ‘food or liquid is breathed into the airways or lungs, instead of being swallowed,’ according to Penn Medicine.
“It only takes a teaspoon of water to cause inhalation [aspiration] pneumonia, which she had,” Annie said,
“She had begun to slowly suffocate as she drowned in the fluids that were flooding her lungs,” she added.
‘Life had come back into her eyes’
Within hours, the family was transferred to a children’s hospital.
“That entire week feels like a fever dream,” the mum said.
“At one point, I passed out myself and ended up in the ER,” she recalled.
“I couldn’t believe my kid was in critical condition.”
Luckily, doctors were able to find a medication that her daughter responded to.
Annie said: “Suddenly, the life had come back in her eyes.
“She wanted to go play in the playroom, which was huge.
“Simply seeing my daughter get out of bed or her wheelchair allowed me to breathe and smile with her.”
Her kid was discharged after seven days in hospital and returned to life as normal.
But Annie did begin by insisting the family had campouts in the bedroom so she could “hear [her] kids breathing”.
She was determined to get them back in the pool quickly so no phobias developed.
Seven years on from the terrifying incident in October 2017, her daughter is 12 years old and thriving.
‘Trust your instincts’
Her mum said: “She is a happy, healthy, smart, empathetic young woman now, and I’m sure we will have other challenges – that’s life.
“But if there is one thing I know about that girl, it’s that she’s strong!”
Annie added: “I want parents to know these things happen.
“We can’t put our kids in a bubble, unfortunately, but we have to keep living.
“The best we can do is be aware of safety hazards, teach our kids, and watch their backs while they are still learning.
“More than anything, though, as a parent, trust your instincts.
“Mine saved my daughter’s life.”
What is aspiration pneumonia?
Aspiration can cause serious health concerns, such as pneumonia, as the foreign material in the lungs can affect oxygen levels and damage lung tissue.
According to the NHS, aspiration pneumonia may happen after accidentally breathing in something, such as a small piece of food.
It is important to note that there is a difference between aspiration and choking, which is when there is something stuck in the airway that is either partially or completely blocking the flow of air in and out.
Whereas, aspiration is when a foreign material in the lungs is affecting oxygen levels and damaging lung tissue.
Little ones will present with aspiration – a mild airway obstruction – by coughing and spluttering.
The foreign material, such as a nut, will then make its way down to the lungs.
However, if any of the following symptoms arise, call 999 or go to the emergency room:
- Choking or a blocked airway
- Noisy breathing
- Bluish skin or nails
- Chest pain
- Wheezing
Symptoms of aspiration do not always present themselves immediately — they may take hours or days to develop.
See a medic if the following symptoms occur after aspiration:
- A fever
- Increased mucus production
- Chronic coughing
- Coughing up blood
- Foul-smelling mucus
