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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Child inhaled bath water - 111?

75 replies

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 09/01/2022 20:12

Posting for traffic because I’ve read horror stories that I think aren’t true.

DC (7) was in bath, mucking about splashing on their tummy, singing, and inhaled a lot of water. I was right there, pulled her out immediately, she was bright red coughed a lot, really struggled to breathe for about 5 mins then threw up a lot, coughed a bit for about 10 mins after. Shaken but fine now (been 40mins). Keeping her up for a bit to keep an eye.

Would you do anything more? Should I call 111? According to webmd secondary drowning is a myth, but there is small risk of infection (signs are cough/fever), I can’t find any nhs info and I don’t want to be sent to the hospital unnecessarily by 111. I’m still shaken

OP posts:

ikeepseeingit · 09/01/2022 23:45

You did the right thing going OP. I would have in that situation.

RoyalFamilyFan · 09/01/2022 23:55

@LibrariesGiveUsPower

Well A&E dr was massively unimpressed 111 sent us there. Obs all fine so sent home.

111 are always super careful. Dry drowning happens almost immediately after inhaling water. Secondary drowning can happen some hours later. But honestly, there are so many myths around this, and most of them are repeated frequently on Mumsnet. This article explains the warning signs. health.clevelandclinic.org/dry-drowning-separating-fact-from-fiction/

FrownedUpon · 10/01/2022 00:00

Poor A&E doctors. The last thing they need at the moment…

aquamarine1 · 10/01/2022 00:02

You were absolutely right to go - disgraceful that some are trying to make you feel guilty.

Original poster

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 10/01/2022 00:04

@RoyalFamilyFan thanks, much better link than I could find, and see that link says to get them checked if they vomit.

OP posts:

RoyalFamilyFan · 10/01/2022 00:04

It will be the vomiting that led 111 to send you there. They are right to be cautious. But a Dr who can actually see the child may have a different view. Just be glad your DC is fine.

RoyalFamilyFan · 10/01/2022 00:04

@LibrariesGiveUsPower we cross posted.

October2020 · 10/01/2022 00:17

You managed to get your husband home, drive to A&E, be triaged, see a doctor, be discharged and get home again in less than two hours?

Bloody hell, let me know which hospital you went to, last time we went to A&E it was 4hrs before we saw a dr (and she was admitted for a few days so it was serious).

RoyalFamilyFan · 10/01/2022 00:20

If it was triaged as possible secondary drowning, then they would see a Dr very quickly.

MiddleParking · 10/01/2022 00:27

My friends have taken their PFB to A&E no less than four times for ‘secondary drowning’. Each time after the kid’s swimming lesson. So four in four weeks. Absolutely madness.

Obviously that’s awful behaviour but it’s really made me laugh 😂

October2020 · 10/01/2022 00:29

@RoyalFamilyFan only if they were taken into resus, maybe...

Original poster

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 10/01/2022 00:31

@October2020

You managed to get your husband home, drive to A&E, be triaged, see a doctor, be discharged and get home again in less than two hours?

Bloody hell, let me know which hospital you went to, last time we went to A&E it was 4hrs before we saw a dr (and she was admitted for a few days so it was serious).

We live two mins from the hospital if that make you feel better? Last time I was there, pre covid, it was an 8 hour wait.

OP posts:

BashStreetKid · 10/01/2022 00:31

@October2020

You managed to get your husband home, drive to A&E, be triaged, see a doctor, be discharged and get home again in less than two hours?

Bloody hell, let me know which hospital you went to, last time we went to A&E it was 4hrs before we saw a dr (and she was admitted for a few days so it was serious).

A baby with possible secondary drowning will always be prioritised in A&E

BigRedBoat · 10/01/2022 00:34

It's a 7 year old not a baby

Moonlaserbearwolf · 10/01/2022 00:54

@aquamarine1

You were absolutely right to go - disgraceful that some are trying to make you feel guilty.

I agree, there are some very high and mighty responses here tonight. Glad all's well OP.

Mrbob · 10/01/2022 01:12

There is no longer such a thing as secondary drowning. If someone is asymptomatic after a brief immersion just keep a watch at home and if they get short of breath go to hospital. If it has been prolonged or a person lost consciousness or something then that watch is in hospital.
111 is a waste of time generally

RebeccasoldercousinSusie · 10/01/2022 01:26

Glad all is OP. You did the right thing going to A&E - and do not hesitate to go back if you are at all concerned.

KiloWhat · 10/01/2022 05:51

Glad all OK OP. You did the right thing.

Pugroll · 10/01/2022 07:08

@LibrariesGiveUsPower

Well A&E dr was massively unimpressed 111 sent us there. Obs all fine so sent home.

To be honest you could be nearly dead at the moment and they'd be unimpressed, as its in deep shit the threshold for presenting at A&E is ridiculously high.

RoyalFamilyFan · 10/01/2022 09:41

@Pugroll no that is unfair. Dry drowning has become this big scare thing for many parents. But a lot is based on myths. I see people here talk about it in ways that are totally wrong. So a Dr presented with a child who has been triaged to be seen very quickly because of secondary drowning, but who is absolutely fine and healthy, may seem unimpressed. They will have people in with very serious stuff like heart attacks.
I understand why OP took her Dc to hospital and I would have done the same if advised by 111. But I also understand why a Dr could be unimpressed.

Pugroll · 10/01/2022 09:44

[quote RoyalFamilyFan]@Pugroll no that is unfair. Dry drowning has become this big scare thing for many parents. But a lot is based on myths. I see people here talk about it in ways that are totally wrong. So a Dr presented with a child who has been triaged to be seen very quickly because of secondary drowning, but who is absolutely fine and healthy, may seem unimpressed. They will have people in with very serious stuff like heart attacks.
I understand why OP took her Dc to hospital and I would have done the same if advised by 111. But I also understand why a Dr could be unimpressed.[/quote]
And yet passing that judgement on to a worried parent who has sought advice as advised is unfair. Perhaps they could ask 111 to be updated them and triage accordingly?

RoyalFamilyFan · 10/01/2022 10:15

But 111 tend to be over cautious. They have to be as they do not use Drs, just people working to a script.

Opalfeet · 10/01/2022 14:07

@October2020 that's exactly what I was thinking. It took a and e 50 mins to triage my child the other day, according to the pediatric team it was a medical emergency and I should have actually called the ambulance 🤷‍♀️

Pixies74 · 10/01/2022 14:28

Also disagree that they send you to A&E regardless. Have rung a handful of times and a few times had advice and what to look out for and a few times an out of hours GP appointment.

Once DD ate a bit of a rabbit food pellet at a messy play session and they were really good and spoke to a toxicologist (though all they did apparently was read the ingredients on a packet of rabbit food ).

RoyalFamilyFan · 10/01/2022 14:30

I was not saying they send you to A and E regardless. But vomiting can be a sign of issues. So someone reading from a script is not able to assess whether this child's vomiting is an issue or nothing to worry about.

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