Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy due to an out of hospital cardiac arrest secondary to drowning
AI-generated summary
A 10-month-old boy drowned in a backyard fishpond after a 27-minute period of inadequate supervision. He was found unresponsive by his aunt and underwent prolonged resuscitation, suffering severe hypoxic brain injury. Despite intensive care management including neuroprotection, chest drain insertion for pneumothorax, and antibiotic therapy, he died from hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy. The coroner emphasised that toddlers are curious and mobile yet lack understanding of water hazards. Critical lessons include: never assuming others are supervising; maintaining active, focused supervision around any water body; recognising that children can drown silently in seconds in shallow water; and securing or removing access to backyard water features, which currently lack mandatory safety regulations unlike pools.
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