Ever came across the term ‘Dry Drowning’ or ‘Secondary Drowning’? Well, I was blissfully ignorant till the time my child started jumping in the splash pool.
Like any other child, he is too fond of splash pools and so when the summer arrived we bought him one. The child safety instructions were pretty simple and straight.
But being me (I always like to dig things a bit deeper) I started researching for everything around pool safety and that’s when I bumped into this term of Dry and Secondary Drowning.
These two scary terms refer to drowning outside the pool. Now, you would think how is that possible? Well! I thought the same and was rather taken aback at the idea.
I mean I thought drowning occurs only in water. But that is not the case here and that’s exactly why it is scary. You do not suspect it and more than often are unaware if such scenario actually exists.
Dry and Secondary drowning both occur outside the water. Though many people use the terms interchangeably, there is difference between the two.
What Is Dry Drowning
Dry Drowning is a non- medical term referring to spasm in air pipes/airways due to swallowing little water while swimming or at pool. This can lead to difficulty in breathing and be fatal, if ignored.
What makes dry drowning difficult to comprehend, is that it takes place after being in water. The person or child may appear normal initially after walking away from water and show symptoms after a few minutes or hours.
Symptoms Of Dry Drowning
While difficulty in breathing after coming out of water is the most obvious sign, other symptoms of dry drowning in children include:
- Rapid breathing
- Persistent coughing
- Vomiting/ Nausea
- Sluggishness or extreme tiredness
- Chest pain
- Confusion.
Immediate medical attention should be sought in case the any of the above symptoms appear after swimming or being in water. Though extremely rare, dry drowning should be treated with upmost urgency.
What Is Secondary Drowning
Secondary Drowning, also called delayed drowning, refers to a non-medical term describing breathing issues arising from water entering the lungs and causing them to swell.
Since in secondary drowning, water reaches the lungs, it may take upto 24 hours for symptoms to show.
Secondary Drowning Signs
Symptoms of delayed drowning include:
- Persistent coughing
- Fast or difficult breathing
- Chest pain
- Extreme tiredness or confusion
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Pale or bluish skin
- Feeling of not getting enough air in the lungs
Both these scenarios occur after the child has long left the pool and is characterised fever or fatigue. Thus making it extremely difficult for care givers to connect the dots. Trusting your gut, like the Florida-based mum of a 5 year old who suffered dry drowning, can help avoid tragic outcomes.
Difference Between Dry & Secondary Drowning
A few observations can go a long way in differentiating Dry and Secondary drowning from normal fever/fatigue symptoms. The key difference between the two is where the water enters and the time taken for symptoms to develop.
Symptoms of secondary drowning, which is caused by water getting into the lungs, often show up several hours later compared to dry drowning. Also the latter is similar to an breathing spasm or chocking while secondary drowning is somewhat like a lung injury accompanied with chest pain.
Dry and Secondary Drowning Prevention Strategies
1. Monitor and Observe
It occurs within 24-48 hours after the child swallowed a few sips of water while swimming. Dry drowning symptoms can show as early as a few minutes after getting out of water while secondary drowning may take upto 24 hours to manifest symptoms.
So it is extremely important to monitor your child post her swimming fun.
2. Get Chest X-Ray
If a child has trouble breathing or is taking shallow, fast breaths or is trying harder to breather properly after swimming class or post being in water, seek medical attention immediately and ask for a chest X-Ray.
3. Trust Your Gut
If your child unusually tired after swimming or develops fever and is extremely sleepy, you should be alarmed. Do not waste time and rush to a doctor. Make sure to inform the medical staff about the water exposure.
4. Pay Attention To Coughing and Vomiting
Both these indicate a general level of stress in the body. While coughing will lead to increased load in breathing, vomiting will increase the uneasiness and chest pain.
Since most of these symptoms are extremely common, parents need to pay extra attention if the symptoms have developed post water exposure and need to differentiate them from usual coughing & nausea.
It is best to be proactive and monitor your child. While both these forms to drowning are extremely rare, but they still cannot be ruled out.
Final Thoughts
The best precaution parents can take is to be attentive around their children when they are in the pool or around water. Under no circumstances should a young child be left alone in the pool or the bathtub by him/herself.
Water as little as a teaspoon, when swallowed into airway or lungs, can be dangerous. Small precautions and attention can make a big difference.