Dry drowning worry for daughter. For once it's not about me

[Deepseathree]

So my daughter takes ranitidine every night and she s take 5 mililiters through a syringe. This evening when I squirt it in her mouth she choked up on it. I squirt too hard and I guess she wasn t ready. Now my worry is that it went to her lungs or something.

[GlassPinata]

That is probably not enough fluid to induce dry drowning.
Weirdly enough, I am having the same worry about my 4 year old son.
He went to swim lesson earlier, and came back saying that his tummy hurt because he "swallowed too much water".
My mind immediately jumped to "dry drowning" or else e. coli from swallowing pool water (yes, it is remotely possible, although unlikely in a chlorinated pool).

Now he's watching Youtube videos and eating pizza, so I'm sure he's fine, but still...

I HATE it when my anxiety latches onto my kids. It's like, "Pick on somebody your own size! Leave them alone."

I just hate anxiety, period.

But at any rate, I'm sure both of our kids will be fine.

Best wishes.

[Deepseathree]

Thanks for the response. I looked it up without thinking and that sure didn't help the worry. Though one article I came across said "as little as 6 tablespoons can cause dry drowning". That comparatively is helping with rationalization as she only had about 5 mililiters, maybe a little less. So barely a teaspoon. It was just how much she coughed afterwords that didn't help me. Plus I reenacted the event with myself and choked also. She's was fine after coughing and very active. Though she's down for bed now.

[Lukas]

My little niece has 6 mililiters of Gaviscon infant every night through a syringe and once she kinda choked up on it too, I had to tilt her on her stomach in an upward position for it to come back out again, if she's not coughing or anything then I'm sure she'll be fine, I drown on liquids all time lol
Health anxiety around children can be really sucky but you're doing a good job and its only because you really care about them :) x

[lofwyr]

I have been around kids my entire life, and swimming. Maybe I am ignorant but I had never even heard of dry drowning until watching the Affair on showtime a couple of years ago.

I know a few people who have drowned. And while I am sure it does happen, I don't know as I single person who even personally knows of someone who has dry drowned.

[GlassPinata]

It is extremely rare. But there has been a recent spate of articles about it in parenting magazines and such, which I'm sure has not only raised awareness of the issue, but also anxiety, especially in those of us who are prone to imagining the worst.

[Deepseathree]

She cough up for about 20 seconds. She's four years old. I keep saying it was only 4-5 mililiters. She usually squeezes the syringe herself but for some reason I did it tonight and did it too hard.

[Fishmanpa]

A natural reaction to a liquid going down the wrong tube is coughing/choking. The fact your daughter was fine after coughing shows that she reacted like anyone else who swallowed wrong. Nothing more...

Positive thoughts

[GlassPinata]

I agree with Fishmanpa, and as you said yourself (which is what I remember reading as well), it takes a lot more fluid than a few mls- probably quite a bit more- to induce this (very rare) phenomenon.
It wasn't enough.
You're just feeling guilty because she choked, and you feel responsible.
But it was unintentional, and she's probably already forgotten about it.
All will be well.

Best wishes.

[lofwyr]

Also pour out a measured 4 to 6 tablespoons, it is a huge amount actually

[Deepseathree]

The other thing that would worry me is the medicine causing inflammation in her lungs. Though I'm trying to leave the worrying along.

[GlassPinata]

Well, it's been 24 hours. My kid's fine. how is yours? Fine, I am assuming. ;)
We need to quit worrying about such silly things.