Dry Drowning and Secondary Drowning

By: Melody Dizon

 

Beaches, pools and lakes are getting crowded by the minute as Chicagoans savor the taste, smell, and sights of summer. Summer in Chicago is a lot of fun.
As I get to feel the warm breeze in Chicago’s famous North avenue beach, I get to watch little kids play with sand and go to the water with their parents holding their hands. Family time is irreplaceable. Then I could hear my mom from my not-so-distant childhood being told to be careful when I go to the water because people can drown. My mother usually assigns big kids with small kids when we are near the water. We know about drowning but what is dry drowning and secondary drowning?

So to our avid readers, I would like to tackle the issue of drowning since it is a trending July health topic. As I always say, let’s learn together. Dry
Drowning and Secondary Drowning, as explained and reviewed by Anita Schroff, MD, by Web MD can happen hours after your child has been toweled off and has played and moved on to other things. What happens is that your child breathes water into his lungs maybe due to struggling while swimming or it can be a result of something as simple as getting water in his mouth or getting dunked. It can happen to adults, too, but it’s more common in kids because of their small size, per Raymond Pitetti, MD, associate medical director of the emergency department at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

With dry drowning, water never reaches the lungs. Instead, breathing in water causes your child’s vocal chords to spasm and close up after he’s already left the pool. That means his airways are shut off making it hard to breathe. Secondary drowning happens a little bit differently. Your child’s airways open up, letting water into his lungs where it builds up, causing a condition called pulmonary edema. Meaning water is inside the lungs. The end result is the same:trouble breathing.

Symptoms of dry drowning usually happen right after any incident in the water while secondary drowning generally starts later, within 1-24 hours of the incident. Though both events are very rare, they make up only 1%-2% of all drowning incidents, per James Orlowski, MD, chief of pediatrics at Florida Hospital Tampa.

Symptoms

Dry drowning and secondary drowning have the same symptoms.
• Coughing
• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing
• Feeling extremely tired
Changes in behavior such as such as irritability, drop in energy levels, which could indicate that the brain isn’t getting enough oxygen.
Any problems that do develop are usually treatable if you get medical help right away. Our job as a parent is to keep a close eye on our child for the 24 hours after he has had any problems in the water.
If the symptoms don’t go away or get worse, take your child to the emergency room, as X-rays of the chest are needed, maybe oxygen too if saturation is less than the desired level. In more severe cases a tube will be inserted to assist with breathing.

Prevention

“Water safety is by far the most important thing,” Drowning prevention.
• Always watch your child closely when they’re in or around water.
• Only let him swim in areas that have lifeguards.
• Never let him swim alone.
Enroll yourself and your children in water-safety classes. If you have a pool at your home, make sure it’s completely fenced.
Teenagers are more likely to have drowning incidents that are related to drugs and alcohol which is another health topic altogether.
And, don’t let your guard down just because the water isn’t deep.
Drowning can occur in any kind of water — bathtubs, toilet bowls, ponds, or small plastic pools.
And, I say my mom’s right. Buddy up with someone when you swim.
Family time is family time. That part is non-negotiable. Keep safe, readers!