Doctors are issuing a warning about the dangers of ‘dry drowning’ after a preschooler died from the condition in Texas.
A fun day at the pool could soon turn frightening for parents if their children start to experience symptoms of coughing, trouble breathing, or even a slight fever.
"What dry drowning is, is when you actually have exposure of the upper airway to fluid and then as a result you have a closure of your upper airway," said Dr. Travis Langner, Pediatric Critical Care Physician at the University of Kansas Health System.
Langner said with kids of all ages taking a dip in the water this summer to cool off, vigilance is the only real way to prevent dry drowning.
"Yeah, I think that the most important part is to really watch your kid afterwards," said Langner. "Especially if you know that they've taken in some water."
The condition is pretty rare, accounting for only one to two percent of drownings. However, it does seem to be more prevalent in younger swimmers.
"It's actually the second most common unintentional cause of death between one and fourteen years of age," said Langner.
The symptoms of dry drowning typically show up within the first hour. Langner says it doesn’t take much to become a concern.
"So it can be just a minuscule amount of water that they have to take into their lungs, so it does not have to be a lot for them to get that reaction," said Langner.
One mother watching her children at the pool was surprised when she learned that.
"I was under the impression that it was more relate to the length of time in the pool," said Tricia Paska, Mother. "I didn't realize that just a little bit of water getting into your lungs could affect you that much."
Another mom said she is aware of it, but wasn’t concerned now that her child is older.
"He's older now so I guess I thought it was something that really only happened to smaller children, toddler children," said Jamie Straley, a mother.
Langner says if your child experiences any of these symptoms after a day in the water, pay close attention and call your doctor.
Symptoms of Dry Drowning:
- Coughing
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Fever
- Feeling extremely tired
"Well I would definitely give the doctor’s office a phone call, and if I was really worried, I'm the kind of mom that wouldn't hesitate to take my child to urgent care or emergency," said Straley.
One of the most important keys to prevention is swimming lessons for young children. They’ll be better in the water and less likely to inhale or swallow water.
