Boy Dies From Drowning Almost a Week After He Went Swimming

His mother says he had a rare case of "dry drowning." 
          

             

By Lindsey Murray, Good Housekeping

  

One family is mourning the loss of their 4-year-old son after doctors say he passed away from "dry drowning" a week after swimming.

[post_ads]Over Memorial Day weekend, Francisco Delgado III, whose family called him "Baby Frankie," went to the Texas City Dike to go swimming. Although everything seemed fine that day and Frankie got out of the water with no problems, he began showing symptoms of a stomach bug, including vomiting and diarrhea. Then, nearly a week later, he stopped breathing.

"Out of nowhere, he just woke up. He said ahhh," his father Francisco Delgado Jr., told WPVI news. "He took his last breath and I didn't know what to do no more."

Baby Frankie's mother, Tara Delgado, told WPVI news that they immediately called 911, but paramedics were unable to revive him.
         

"I walked in. I could see him lying there. They were still working on him. I'm screaming. Let me just touch my baby. Maybe he needs his mama's touch," said Delgado. "When she came in, she told us it's what's called dry drowning. His lungs were full of fluid. There was nothing else they could do for him."

While this type of drowning is rare, it can cause serious harm or, like in Baby Frankie's case, can be fatal.

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"This smaller percentage, while rare, is really scary because the symptoms can be delayed," Dr. Mark Zonfrillo, from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told GoodHousekeeping.com in a previous interview. While he did not treat Baby Frankie sepcifically, he explains that dry drowning involves water, but is often incorrectly used to describe secondary drowning.

"Dry drowning is when someone takes a small amount of water in their mouth or nose, and it causes their airway to spasm and close up," he says, noting that this phenomenon can occur in the water and immediately after exiting. With secondary drowning, a small amount of water is inhaled that irritates the lungs and causes inflammation and swelling over time, Because the lungs can no longer exchange oxygen to and from the blood, this causes the swimmer's blood oxygen levels to drop.

[post_ads]"Both have similar signs and symptoms: trouble breathing, excessive coughing, sputtering," explained Dr. Zonfrillo. "Vomiting and increased sleepiness can also be indicators [of secondary drowning], but respiratory symptoms will almost always show up first."

To prevent any type of drowning, it's important to know your child's swimming abilities and to always supervise them when in the water. If you notice any signs of breathing trouble or other symptoms, call your pediatrician or head to the emergency room immediately. CPR can also be administered by a trained adult, if necessary.

Baby Frankie's family has since set up a GoFundMe to help raise money for the unexpected funeral costs of their son. GoodHousekeeing.com has reached out to the family for comment and will update this post as more information becomes available.

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