Dry drowning: How to spot if your child inhales water while swimming

Dry drowning normally happens to children because their bodies are so small. Photo / Getty

Although exceedingly rare, two cases of dry drowning have made national headlines this month.

Francisco 'Frankie' Delgado, four, died on June 3, six days after he inhaled water while swimming with his family in Texas.

According to the Daily Mail doctors suspect the little boy died from a form of dry drowning, a rare medical condition that predominantly affects children because their bodies are small.

This out-of-water drowning happens when someone breathes in water, leading to breathing problems.

After the toddler's story went viral, Colorado father Garon Vega recognised similar symptoms in his two-year-old son Gio and was able to save the child's life.

So what is dry drowning and how can it be spotted in time?

What is dry drowning?

Dry drowning isn't limited to swimming pools and it can happen in any body of water, including the bathtub.

It occurs in one to two percent of drowning accidents and most cases occur in children because of their small size, although it still can happen to adults.

According to the CDC, "injury" drowning is the second leading cause of death among children. The organization does not keep numbers on dry drowning.

Although Freddie's case is being called dry drowning, Dr Ray Pitetti of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, said he believes it's a case of secondary drowning.

The associate medical director of emergency paediatric medicine said: "These terms are used the same way but are two different things."

Dr Pitetti said water is inhaled and although it doesn't reach the lungs, it causes the larynx, the air passage to the lungs, to shut as a protective response.

He added: "Dry drowning is a reflex the body has in the upper part of the airway. There is actually no water in the lungs."

The person's vocal cords begin to seize up, called a laryngospasm, and airways begin to close, making it harder to breathe.

The body is then deprived of oxygen and begins to suffocate.

Dr Pitetti said because the body isn't getting enough air, the obvious symptoms begin to show in minutes after the accident.

The condition is rare but occurs when water is inhaled and causes breathing problem. Photo / Getty

What is secondary drowning?

Dr Pitetti said he believes that both Freddie and Gio had secondary drowning because X-rays showed they had fluid in their lungs.

Secondary drowning is different than dry drowning because water actually reaches the lungs.

Dr Pitetti said this condition happens when water is breathed in and makes its way to the lungs.

The water is trapped inside the organs, causing irritation and inflammation, resulting in trouble breathing. This is known as pulmonary edema.

Secondary drowning can be harder to spot at first because it isn't as immediate as dry drowning.

Dr Pitetti said these two terms are often used interchangeably because both refer to drowning that happens out of the water.

He said knowing their difference is important.

What are the symptoms?

Experts say the first warning sign is when a child has a near-drowning experience.

For dry drowning, symptoms usually occur almost immediately after a person leaves the water.

Dr Pitetti said a child will not be able to breathe or have a very hard time breathing, coughing and gasping for air.

In secondary drowning, symptoms are slower to show up, within an hour to 24 hours.
Dr Pitetti said: "When they first get out of the water, they may cough and then will normally be okay.

"As the day goes on, breathing gets a bit faster and just progresses.

"They will be working harder to breathe, with the belly moving in and out or the ribs showing the strain."

Other symptoms apart from breathing issues include coughing, pains, extreme fatigue, throwing up and changes in behavior.

All of these indicate that the brain and body is not getting enough oxygen and the person should receive medical care.