What is secondary drowning? Busted musician Charlie Simpson opens up on son being hospitalized over complication

On July 19, award-winning singer and Busted member Charlie Simpson took to his social media platform to spread awareness about a condition called "secondary drowning" that his youngest son Jago recently went through. Recalling a "terrifying experience," the 37-year-old singer spoke about rushing Jago to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Room after he inhaled some water from the pool.

The singer detailed what happened in a long message on Instagram, where he cautioned his followers about the scary condition:

"Jago is a strong swimmer for his age and he was swimming under water but suddenly came up spluttering and coughing. At no point was he left unattended, It was momentary, nothing seemingly unusual for kids to experience."

Later, however, Jago felt "lethargic" and started projectile vomiting after dinner, which is when he was taken to the hospital.

According to Banner Health, when individuals inhale water during swimming or experience near drowning, the said person can display signs of "dry drowning" or secondary drowning after they are out of the water body.

In secondary drowning, the inhaled water creates a buildup of fluid inside the lungs, called pulmonary edema. If not treated at the right moment, this condition can be fatal.

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How was Jago diagnosed with secondary drowning?

While the initial diagnosis from the doctor suggested food poisoning, when Simpson told the doctor that his son was coughing in the pool that morning, he advised the parents to take him to the hospital. Simpson recalled:

"During the hour long journey to hospital, Jago’s condition deteriorated and he seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness. He was rushed through to have CT scans and X-Rays and to our absolute horror, we were told that he had water in his lungs and was minutes away from pneumonia."

It was then that Jago was diagnosed with secondary drowning and spent three days in the hospital. Simpson also spoke about how "the outcome could have been very different" if they had not rushed him to the hospital when they did.

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Secondary drowning: Symptoms and precautionary measures

In his Instagram post, Charlie Simpson also noted that while secondary drowning is rare, it is not oft-discussed, making it even more difficult to diagnose immediately. He also said that it takes "less than half a glass of water to drown," with symptoms appearing as late as 72 hours after the incident.

While the symptoms start with nothing too alarming, they can be severe if not treated right away. According to Web MD, the symptoms include coughing, chest pain, breathing trouble, and feeling lethargic. There might also be signs of irritability or a severe drop in energy levels.

As per Web MD, if an individual shows any of the symptoms after coming out of the water, they must be taken for a check-up. Concerned family members must also keep an eye on the patient and track symptoms for the next 24 hours.

If the symptoms worsen, the patient needs to get a chest X-ray and an IV done. For severe breathing trouble, which is common in secondary drowning, they may need to use a breathing tube as well.

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Further updates

Charlie Simpson also gave some insight into his son's symptoms, which included "vomiting, fever, laboured breathing, and lethargy." However, sharing a picture of Jago alongside the post, he assured fans that he has been in "amazing care" at the hospital.

Through his post, the singer hoped to raise awareness about the condition.