A mother is bravely sharing the distressing experience of her daughter’s near-fatal incident related to “dry drowning.” Four-year-old Mia Johnson was playing in her grandparents’ pool when a seemingly harmless pool noodle game turned dangerous, leading to her hospitalization days later.
Jessica Johnson recounted the troubling events that unfolded after Mia’s accident. “If I can help just one child, this is worth it,” she stated. During a playful moment with the pool noodle, Mia accidentally inhaled water when another child blew through the opposite end. Although she vomited right away and seemed fine afterward, symptoms didn’t surface until days later.
“The very next day, she appeared to be perfectly okay,” Jessica wrote. “But by Monday, she had developed a fever. It’s common for kids to get fevers, so I didn’t think much of it. On Tuesday, she was lethargic but still looked alright. I sent her to school on Wednesday, and then I received a call that her fever had returned.”
Jessica couldn’t shake the memory of the pool incident and recalled reading about a boy in Texas who tragically passed away after inhaling pool water. Prompted by concern, she swiftly took Mia to urgent care, where the doctor advised immediate transport to the emergency room.
“The doctor said her heart rate was alarmingly high, her oxygen levels were low, and her skin was turning purple, indicating a possible infection,” Jessica explained. At the emergency room, a chest X-ray revealed inflammation and infection likely caused by chemicals in the pool water. Mia was subsequently transferred to a larger hospital for closer monitoring.
“The critical issue is that at some point, whether while going underwater or after she vomited, the water was inhaled into her lungs,” she said. Mia was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, chemical pneumonitis, and perihilar edema. She currently depends on oxygen support and is undergoing a course of antibiotics. “Two doctors have told us how fortunate we were to get her in when we did,” Jessica added.
She urges all parents to seek immediate medical attention if their child inhales water, especially as summer approaches. “I often wonder if I had taken her in sooner, would she be in better shape? It’s truly frightening.”
Meanwhile, the Johnson family is fervently hoping that the antibiotics will work swiftly to help Mia clear her lungs of the pool chemicals. They have set up a GoFundMe page to assist with unforeseen medical expenses during her recovery. “I’m incredibly grateful that I came across that article about the boy,” Jessica expressed. “I wouldn’t have thought to take her to urgent care otherwise, and who knows how this would have turned out.”
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Summary
A mother shares her daughter’s alarming experience with dry drowning after a pool accident involving a pool noodle. Symptoms appeared days later, leading to a hospitalization for aspiration pneumonia and chemical pneumonitis. She urges parents to seek medical attention immediately if their child shows any unusual signs after inhaling water. The family is raising funds to help with medical expenses, emphasizing the importance of awareness regarding this serious risk.