A family mourning the loss of their little boy have highlighted an important safety warning for parents everywhere: be aware of dry drowning.

 

Little Frankie Delgado passed away days after going swimming, on a family holiday. He was just four years old.

 

According to a local Texas news outlet, Frankie died from dry drowning. Dry drowning, or secondary drowning, arises where water is inhaled and builds up, usually causing pulmonary edema. The condition can be fatal, with symptoms including breathing trouble, vomiting and diarrhoea, coughing and fatigue.

 

In the days after Frankie went swimming, he displayed many of these symptoms, suffering bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea. His family mistook them for a stomach bug at first, but contacted emergency services when he stopped breathing.

 

According to KHOU.com, an examination of Frankie showed that he had fluid around his lungs and heart.

 

 

Tragically, doctors were unable to save little Frankie, and he passed away from secondary drowning.

 

Over on their fundraising page (link here), set up to help raise money for funeral expenses, Frankie’s family paid tribute to their little boy.

 

“There are no words to describe how heartbroken we are over the passing of Baby Frankie,” wrote loved one Desiree Sosa.

 

“He was only four years old, he had so much life to live. He was loved by so many people. His love for baseball was endless. The world lost a beautiful soul.”

 

Appealing for assistance with Frankie’s funeral funds, she added: “My family and I are asking for help in this difficult time of need. I’m asking for prayers and donations in hopes to help my family grieve without the worry of expenses.”

 

 

We are thinking of the Delgado family at this incredibly sad time.

 

The news of little Frankie’s death comes just a day after it was reported that a four-year-old died from cold water shock, after falling into a river in the US last week.

 

Cold water shock is a form of exposure, whereby the breathing and heart rates accelerate in water below around 15 degrees. This stresses the body, making us gasp for air.

 

Essentially, while the water may not seem cold, the drop in our body temperature and the impact can take our breath away – leaving us feeling as though we are suffocating.

 

With summer holidays on the horizon, and plenty of pool time ahead, it’s important to be aware of water safety for our little ones.

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