Pool staff discovered the boy lying underwater and pulled him out; his heart had already stopped.

Upon examination, the rescuer discovered the child had cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, so they performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions for 5-10 minutes, while simultaneously calling an ambulance from the 115 emergency satellite station. At this point, the child was found to be in a coma, with decerebrate hypotension (a consequence of brain damage), convulsions, and gasping for breath.

The infant was intubated, and a large amount of pink frothy fluid was observed coming out of the endotracheal tube. Medical staff administered adrenaline, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and transferred the child to the City Children's Hospital (Binh Chanh District).

Upon arrival, the doctor noted the child was in a coma, cyanotic, and experiencing intermittent convulsions, with a diagnosis of drowning, acute pulmonary edema, cerebral hypoxia, and aspiration pneumonia. The patient was treated with mechanical ventilation, anticonvulsants, anti-edema medication, fluid and electrolyte balance adjustment, and antibiotics to treat aspiration pneumonia.

After nearly a week of treatment, the child's condition improved; they were able to communicate, the seizures stopped, and they were weaned off the ventilator.

Earlier in the summer of 2023, the City Children's Hospital also continuously received many children in critical condition due to drowning. Among these were cases of severe drowning in swimming pools, right in front of their families.

Dr. Nguyen Minh Tien, Deputy Director of the City Children's Hospital, advises that when children go swimming in the summer, they should have an adult nearby to observe and monitor them, and to promptly notify lifeguards for assistance if the child becomes submerged.

Parents should teach their children to swim and know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the spot to help save their children's lives and prevent long-term brain damage.