"The term 'dry drowning' refers to an acute lung injury caused by water aspiration that would develop over minutes to hours after exposure and could progress to respiratory failure," said Robert.
The symptoms of dry drowning begin almost immediately after a drowning incident, while secondary drowning symptoms may start 1-24 hours after water enters the lungs. Symptoms may include coughing, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and lethargy.
With so-called dry drowning, water never reaches the lungs. Instead, breathing in water causes your child's vocal cords to spasm and close up. That shuts off their airways, making it hard to breathe. You would start to notice those signs right away -- it wouldn't happen out of the blue days later.
Dry drowning (and "secondary drowning," which happens when a little water gets into the lungs) can be scary for everyone involved because although the child may appear fine at first, symptoms can appear as long as 24 hours after the initial incident.
Secondary drowning is a dangerous complication of a drowning close call that can develop 24 to 48 hours later. It's crucial to watch for signs of secondary drowning, such as trouble breathing, coughing or chest pain and to seek help if these symptoms develop after a struggle in the water.
If caught early, dry drowning can be treated. If you think your child is experiencing a dry drowning episode, go to the nearest emergency room as quickly as possible — do not attempt treatment at home. Healthcare professionals will work to supply oxygen to your child's lungs to restore and regulate breathing.
The most important thing you can do after your child has inhaled water is to watch for signs of breathing problems. “If a child continues to cough, wheeze, or breathe quickly within six hours of the incident, those are signs he needs to go to the emergency room,” says Dr. Knutson.
Along with the significant coughing and gagging frequently associated with drowning, other warning signs of drowning or aspiration after a water incident include: Vomiting. Shortness of breath. Wheezing.
Dry drowning could cause labored breathing and affects a child's airways. This usually happens after swimming or even while bathing, and can occur from simply getting water in the mouth or going underwater and breathing water into the nose.
Fortunately, the condition that the public calls dry drowning is extremely rare and children suffering from the condition will often have symptoms that prompt parents to seek medical attention. However, many doctors no longer use the term. Here are some facts about what people call dry drowning.
Although swallowing a small amount of pool water is harmless, it's important for parents to realize that ingesting too much can lead to chlorine poisoning or so-called recreational water illness. Kids can also inhale water into their lungs which can lead to a serious condition called secondary drowning.
"The term 'dry drowning' refers to an acute lung injury caused by water aspiration that would develop over minutes to hours after exposure and could progress to respiratory failure," said Robert.
The events that result in drowning can be divided into the following sequence: (i) struggle to keep the airway clear of the water, (ii) initial submersion and breath-holding, (iii) aspiration of water, (iv) unconsciousness, (v) cardio-respiratory arrest and (vi) death – inability to revive.
Vomiting: This may be due to persistent coughing, lack of oxygen in the body, inflammation or the body working hard to breathe. Breathing hard or trouble breathing: You may notice that your child's nostrils flare, their chest heaves and their body shows signs that it's working extra-hard to breathe.
“Secondary drowning is incredibly unusual. Understand what to look for and just use common sense to address the problem, calling an ambulance immediately.
Secondary drowning is so rare that Dr. James Orlowski from Florida Hospital Tampa estimates that secondary or dry drowning account for no more than 1% to 2% of all drowning. The affected person will appear fine immediately after the incident, but over time the water in the lungs will cause swelling or edema.
Because most symptoms of non-fatal drowning occur within 6-8 hours from the submersion, it would be important to keep a close eye on your child and watch for breathing difficulties, skin color changes, persistent vomiting, or abnormal behavior. If any of these symptoms occur, you should seek medical care immediately.
Dry vs, Wet Drowning
There is water in the lungs with wet drowning, and there isn't water in the lungs with dry drowning.
So what is dry drowning and how does it happen? If a child has inhaled (aspirated) even a small amount of water (as little as 2.5-30mls), it can trigger a reaction in the lungs which can be fatal, even 24hrs after the initial incident.
Don't worry too much. There is not usually much risk associated with swallowing pool water. It usually just means that a small amount of chlorine and other contaminants were ingested.
Children can start showing symptoms of dry drowning 24 to 48 hours after inhaling water. Purva says symptoms can include coughing, vomiting, fever, struggling for breath and mood swings.
Children. Children ages 1–4 have the highest drowning rates. Most drownings in children 1–4 happen in swimming pools. Drowning can happen even when children are not expected to be near water, such as when they gain unsupervised access to pools.
If your child aspirates, they may present with a cough when drinking or eating. Aspiration can cause symptoms including: coughing when drinking, particularly with thin liquids. difficulty feeding.