Medical advice needed

[hollydolly64]

Sensible advice needed from nurses or doctors if anyone is online.
Every mother's nightmare happened to me today. We were by a friend's pool after school and I thought everyone was out and we were packing up at about 7pm, when I looked around and realised that my 3, nearly 4 year old son was in the water, struggling. He was kicking, but going under again and again. We rushed to get him out and he was conscious but hysterical. I was told to lie him on his side, but I am ashamed to say that after a few seconds of that, he was so distressed that I picked him up and held him vertically hugging him. After a few minutes he vomited (mostly water) copiously all down my back. He then cried and was pale and shocked', but seemed fine.
We all sat around with him for half an hour, during which time he seemed to totally recover, and was asking for a chocolate bar and eating grapes.
Because he seemed so fine and those around me were so calm, I simply drove him home, gave him lots of attention, had a hot bath and eventually put him to bed in our bed. He is beside me now, breathing normally. He told me that he had got back in the water after I had got him out and taken his armbands off (something I am feeling so guilty about) and had 'tripped' off the shallow steps he had been playing on.
A friend had previously asked her husband, who is a doctor, about secondary drowning and he said not to worry about it.
However, Obviously, I went on google and Obviously I am now scared out of my wits and can't believe we didn't take him to A&E.
We live miles from an A&E, he is fast asleep and I have three other children in the house, so it isn't something I want to do, but obviously if it is the right thing, then I will. But I don't want to waste the NHS's time if there is genuinely nothing to worry about.
Does anyone medical have any advice? If you don't have any medical experience I would ask please don't tell me what you have read on the internet - I have read it too and I don't need any more scare stories.
I doubt I will sleep much tonight, so any advice very gratefully received.

I don't know what we can advise you over the interweb

I guess the standard advice is to call 111. They are likely though, with that history, to tell you to take him to A+E.

You poor thing. I would have done the same, just wanted to get DC home and then worried about the consequences afterwards.

Whatever way you go, you know you are going to get no sleep. Have you a partner/ family/a neighbour that could come and sleep at your place and you take him to get checked out ?

You need to call your out of hours service for advice. You have no way of knowing the true credentials of anyone who posts a reply to this thread so please speak to a real-life professional. I hope your son is ok.

ok thank you, that sounds sensible.

I am not being lazy (well maybe a little, I am in my pjs and knackered) but also don't want to waste NHS time. I know they always say it isn't a waste of their time if you are worried, but sometimes…. it is.
He is sleeping so sweetly. God, it was awful.

lovey, I don't think anyone is going to come and tell you it's ok to leave it and not get him checked out

yes, it must have been so frightening and all of you must be so tired

but...

"lovey, I don't think anyone is going to come and tell you it's ok to leave it and not get him checked out"
Point taken. X

Off now, thank you and good night

Sorry you had an awful day! Bet you're already super stressed out. Just to add secondary drowning is very rare...

Everything OK this morning ?

Fine today thank god, although keeping him close to me. Sorry, late night paranoia. Didn't take him to a&e in the end, just stayed awake most of the night checking his breathing! I need to go and repeat that paediatric first aid course...
Thanks all, have a good day :)

Please get him checked out, he has inhaled and vomited treated pool water. You need to be sure he doesn't get an infection. If just the tiniest drop of water is in his lungs he could become very ill.

Thank you Penfold, the GP says (via phone) that he is probably ok. Do you disagree and do you mind if I ask if you have medical experience?

Not medically qualified but did spend many years as a lifeguard and have since worked with kids with epilepsy in a pool environment and our guidelines have always been that anyone, anyone, who is pulled from the water in circumstances you describe should be checked over by a doctor or a paramedic. Symptoms can take between 1 and 72 hours to show themselves.

I think you should get him checked, the GP cannot rule out secondary drowning over the phone! I'm sure he'll be fine but its always better to over react and find out he's fine than to leave it and feel guilty if he becomes unwell. Please phone for an out of hours appt so he can at least have his chest listened to.

Thank you, he has now been seen by GP and is fingers crossed ok, so thank you all x

Excellent news. Secondary drowning is extremely rare but it is not worth taking a chance with, I am glad he's ok. Incidents like that happen in the blink of an eye and are so, so scary to witness.