Mom warns parents after her 10-year-old son collapses from playing in the ocean
Learn about the dangers of ocean play and how to keep your kids safe
Many of us see a day at the beach as the perfect way to escape the summer heat. But while the sun and surf can be refreshing, a Massachusetts mother learned that even on a scorching day, there are hidden risks lurking in the water that many don’t think about. Now, she’s speaking out to warn others of the dangers that caught her family off guard.
On July 4th, Heather Cassini and her family were enjoying the sunny weather at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, when her 10-year-old son, Declan, suddenly fell ill. At first, Cassini wasn’t alarmed. The combination of a hot day and playing in the ocean made her think Declan just needed a break.
“I thought the breakfast was just too much for the waves and he just needed to lay down,” she recalled in a social media post that has since gone viral.
But as they began walking back to rest, Declan became dizzy, disoriented, and then collapsed. The situation quickly turned alarming as he slipped in and out of consciousness and began vomiting. Heather, who is pregnant, struggled to help her son while onlookers rushed to assist. Luckily, a group of nearby women, many of whom were nurses, immediately sprang into action, helping stabilize Declan until paramedics arrived.
“I’m pregnant and frantically trying to pick him up,” Cassini told Today.com. “He’s going in and out of consciousness and vomiting. And he was so pale.”
Declan’s condition baffled Cassini at first, but paramedics soon determined that he had developed hypothermia from the cold ocean water, which was a surprising 52 degrees.
I had no idea that this could happen,” Cassini said. “You think about sunburns and dehydration and all the things that can happen in the water, but I never considered cold shock.” Fortunately, Declan recovered, but Cassini now wants to raise awareness of the potential for hypothermia even in summer.
Cassini urges parents to be cautious when letting their children swim in cold water, even if it’s hot outside. Just because they enjoy the water doesn’t mean they’re immune to the effects of cold shock.
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