Mother shares heartbreaking warning to help others.

Darcy McQueeny recently took to Facebook to share a heartbreaking story that has now gone viral regarding her three-year-old son.

Her little boy was hospitalised after suffering from secondary drowning by jumping into a swimming p

Drownings in children can occur in less than 30 seconds and in less than half an inch of water, making the need to closely and constantly monitor children in the water common knowledge, however, the risk of secondary drowning is well known.

Secondary drowning occurs when children swallow a bit too much water, and although they may seem absolutely fine at first, they could still be in serious danger.

Darcy writes: ‘This is my 3.5-year-old laying unresponsive in a hospital bed less than six hours after jumping into the pool. He only went under for less than thirty seconds. He was being watched by two sober, conscientious adults who were both less than ten feet away in a gated pool. That is likely why he is alive, because he was grabbed out of the water quickly.”

He was talking and even eating after the incident, but went downhill hours later. Everyone who we met in the PICU remarked at how incredibly lucky he is to be alive. Not only because he didn’t drown initially, but because he was at a gigantic risk for secondary drowning.
Despite him being able to eat and talk and seeming like he was ok after the incident, he was NOT ok. Water safety should be a top priority for everyone.”

‘She finished on a stark warning, writing: “Do not ever leave children unattended near any source of water. Even following all of the rules, accidents happen.’

Thankfully Darcy’s son made a full recovery after this terrible ordeal, but here’s what to look out for if you find yourself in a similar situation:

• Lethargy or extreme fatigue
• Difficulty breathing
• Irritability or mood swings
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Persistent cough
• Fever

Remember – symptoms can take between one and 72 hours to appear, so keep a watchful eye on your little one if they have had a near-drowning, or perhaps swallowed too much water.

CLICK HERE to read about Mother finding shards of metal in Pampers nappy.