What are symptoms of dry drowning?

Answer 1

PARENTS PLEASE BEAWARE OF THIS DRY DROWNING I had no idea that someone can die hours after surviving a near-drowning experience. This is due to water being in the lungs, and the airways of the lungs collapsing.

"If the child's complaining of difficulty breathing as you're going home, being sleepy...those are the symptoms of a near-drowning. That patient needs to be taken right to the hospital. That person needs to be monitored and may need to be put on a ventilator in case their breathing gets worse. The initial drowning event damages the lungs and then, in response, the lungs fill up with fluid and that's what event can kill you if you don't get medical attention."

"The fluid washes away the normal chemicals that hold the lungs open. The small airways of the lungs collapse and allow water to enter into the lungs causing difficulty breathing and difficulty exchanging oxygen and air," says Dr. Jairy Hunter, Medical Director of the Trident Health System. Sources:http://www.wjbf.com/midatlantic/jbf/news_index/health_news.apx.-content-articles-JBF-2008-06-04-0013.html-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The problem is not when you swallow water, but when you get it into your lungs...some people drown on the spot, but you can technically be a drowning victim, 24 hours out of the water. First things first: if you see someone having trouble, fighting to keep their head above water..."Get them out of the water, get them calmed down, get them able to breathe well, and not have any problems." If you do notice breathing problems, be aware. Just because they didn't drown, doesn't mean they're out of danger. "If a child has an event while they're in the water, they're gasping, coughing, difficulty breathing, they tell you they're short of breath, that's probably somebody that's aspirated water."Even then, the child could be okay, but after what's called a near-drowning event, pay close attention to the child.Dr. James Wilde, MCG Emergency Medicine: "If the child's complaining of difficulty breathing as you're going home, being sleepy...those are the symptoms of a near-drowning. That patient needs to be taken right to the hospital. That person needs to be monitored and may need to be put on a ventilator in case their breathing gets worse." Dr. James Wilde says parents should not think swallowing a bunch of water is going to harm their child in the same way as a near-drowning event...which can be fatal hours after the child leaves the water. Dr. Wilde: "Initial drowning event damages the lungs and then, in response, the lungs fill up with fluid and that's what event can kill you if you don't get medical attention." Dr. Wilde has treated a patient before who was the victim of a near-drowning, and initially checked out okay. But, 2 hours later, still at the hospital, her condition drastically dropped. She survived, but without that medical treatment, could have become a drowning victim, herself. Dehydrating in the water is more common during the summer...sounds unlikely, but experts say you lose 6 ounces of water every hour you're in the water.This is not entirely new information. It does not appear or manifest itself as a laryngospasm, which I agree is very evident and hard to mistake. Water can get past the larynyx and into the lungs causing pulmonary edema. If the patient lies down, the fluid can't drain from the lungs and they suffocate. I've seen it, treated patients with it and it is unusual to witness.PARENTS PLEASE BEAWARE OF THIS DRY DROWNING I had no idea that someone can die hours after surviving a near-drowning experience. This is due to water being in the lungs, and the airways of the lungs collapsing.

"If the child's complaining of difficulty breathing as you're going home, being sleepy...those are the symptoms of a near-drowning. That patient needs to be taken right to the hospital. That person needs to be monitored and may need to be put on a ventilator in case their breathing gets worse. The initial drowning event damages the lungs and then, in response, the lungs fill up with fluid and that's what event can kill you if you don't get medical attention."

"The fluid washes away the normal chemicals that hold the lungs open. The small airways of the lungs collapse and allow water to enter into the lungs causing difficulty breathing and difficulty exchanging oxygen and air," says Dr. Jairy Hunter, Medical Director of the Trident Health System. Sources:http://www.wjbf.com/midatlantic/jbf/news_index/health_news.apx.-content-articles-JBF-2008-06-04-0013.html-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The problem is not when you swallow water, but when you get it into your lungs...some people drown on the spot, but you can technically be a drowning victim, 24 hours out of the water. First things first: if you see someone having trouble, fighting to keep their head above water..."Get them out of the water, get them calmed down, get them able to breathe well, and not have any problems." If you do notice breathing problems, be aware. Just because they didn't drown, doesn't mean they're out of danger. "If a child has an event while they're in the water, they're gasping, coughing, difficulty breathing, they tell you they're short of breath, that's probably somebody that's aspirated water."Even then, the child could be okay, but after what's called a near-drowning event, pay close attention to the child.Dr. James Wilde, MCG Emergency Medicine: "If the child's complaining of difficulty breathing as you're going home, being sleepy...those are the symptoms of a near-drowning. That patient needs to be taken right to the hospital. That person needs to be monitored and may need to be put on a ventilator in case their breathing gets worse." Dr. James Wilde says parents should not think swallowing a bunch of water is going to harm their child in the same way as a near-drowning event...which can be fatal hours after the child leaves the water. Dr. Wilde: "Initial drowning event damages the lungs and then, in response, the lungs fill up with fluid and that's what event can kill you if you don't get medical attention." Dr. Wilde has treated a patient before who was the victim of a near-drowning, and initially checked out okay. But, 2 hours later, still at the hospital, her condition drastically dropped. She survived, but without that medical treatment, could have become a drowning victim, herself. Dehydrating in the water is more common during the summer...sounds unlikely, but experts say you lose 6 ounces of water every hour you're in the water.This is not entirely new information. It does not appear or manifest itself as a laryngospasm, which I agree is very evident and hard to mistake. Water can get past the larynyx and into the lungs causing pulmonary edema. If the patient lies down, the fluid can't drain from the lungs and they suffocate. I've seen it, treated patients with it and it is unusual to witness.