Secondary drowning: Parents warned of potentially fatal risk

NEW YORK (WABC) -- There's a new warning about a summertime hazard that every parent needs to know about. It's called secondary drowning, and it can happen after a near-drowning incident.

Your child may look fine, but he or she may still be drowning from the inside.

Ronin Kujawa is an active toddler who recently attended a pool party that almost cost him his life.

"I just turned, maybe 5 seconds, and he had jumped into the spa," mom Lindsay Kujawa said. "And the jets whirled him to the other side."

The spa jets forced Ronin underwater for about 20 seconds before his mom was able to pull him out.

"I'm like, he's okay," Lindsay said. "He's not blue, he's choking up the water he

seems fine."

But about an hour afterwards, Ronin wasn't himself. He'd started to cough

and was lethargic.

"I called his pediatrician," Lindsay said. "She said you need to take Ronin to the ER right now."

Doctors said Ronin still had fluid in his lungs and was experiencing secondary drowning, a condition doctors say is uncommon but can be fatal.

"It can take up to 24 hours to develop symptoms," Dr. Stephen Epstein said. "Although most people, if they're going to have a significant event, develop symptoms within about 4 to 8 hours."

With a secondary drowning, the fluid that remains in the lungs prevents the tiny air sacs from taking oxygen out of the air and moving it to the blood. Breathing becomes harder and harder. If not caught in time, decreased oxygen can cause the heart to stop.

"It takes a surprisingly small amount of fluid to cause damage to the lungs," Dr. Epstein said. "In a child, it can be as little as a quarter of a can of soda."

Ronin survived after a frightening 24-hour stay in the hospital, and Lindsay took to her blog, "Delighted Momma," to warn other parents about this scary situation and the dangers of secondary drowning.

Even if a child has only been underwater a short time, doctors say parents should keep an eye on them for up to 24 hours.

If a child has difficulty breathing, is coughing, and/or becomes lethargic, take him or her to the hospital immediately.

Water safety expert Jim Spiers says teaching kids how to swim is one of several steps towards keeping them safe.

"You need at least a 4-foot fence around your pool, that they cannot climb over," he said. "You need a gate the locks automatically around your pool. You need, preferably, alarms on your back doors, your windows."

Parents should also know what to do if a child goes under water.

"If they are unconscious, you need to immediately start CPR," Spiers said. "Have someone call the emergency services for you and have them come."

And when a child is in the water, someone needs to be watching all the time. Spiers warns parents not to be distracted by devices or a quick conversation.

"I now know that you literally cannot turn your back for literally five seconds," Lindsay said.