We distinguish between wet drowning, dry drowning and late drowning. Most people are familiar with wet drowning: the victim ends up under water and gets water in the lungs. This ultimately leads to death when salvation is not near. Dry drowning occurs because the epiglottis closes off the trachea. This prevents water from entering the lungs, but an oxygen deficiency does occur. Late drowning can occur up to 48 hours after the drowning accident. But even an innocent sip of water in the lungs can lead to late drowning. Recognizing the symptoms can save a life.
What is drowning?
Drowning is the death that occurs when a victim is immersed in water for too long. This causes death by suffocation. In the Netherlands, more than 20 to 40 children die every year as a result of drowning. They are mainly boys, especially between 2 and 4 years old. In toddlers, this accounts for 10 percent of all causes of death. Of all drowning victims, more than one-third are younger than 10 years old.
In most cases, children drown in a pond or water around the house. In other cases it concerns open water where children play. In a small number of cases, drowning occurs in a public swimming pool or at home in the bath.
More than 400 (young) adults in the Netherlands die every year due to drowning. More than half is caused by suicide. Twice as many people die from drowning in Russia than in the Netherlands. Fewer people drown in Australia than in the Netherlands. The number of people who almost drown is much higher. More than 87 percent of all drowning accidents ultimately end well.
Why does death occur?
Fish get their oxygen from the water, people and other mammals from the air. We have lungs for this. These filter the oxygen from the inhaled air and deliver the oxygen to the blood. When water enters the lungs, the lungs can no longer properly deliver the inhaled oxygen to the blood. The vocal cords can also cramp to such an extent that oxygen can no longer reach the lungs. A drop in oxygen levels in the blood causes unconsciousness. If the victim remains underwater continuously, death will occur after approximately five minutes.
What is dry drowning?
We have previously looked at the figures regarding drowning. It is important to know that drowning accidents are common, but end well in approximately 87 percent of cases. Every year, almost 500 people die from drowning in the Netherlands. Every year, 2,000 to 3,000 accidents occur in which the victim drowns or almost drowns.
In dry drowning, the epiglottis closes off the lungs. This is a survival mechanism of the body itself, as fluid cannot enter the lungs. However, fluid will enter the stomach.
Can you die from dry drowning?
Yes, this can also kill the victim. It seems nice, the lungs are closed and no water can enter the lungs. But as long as the victim remains underwater, no oxygen can enter the lungs. Ultimately, the brain dies due to lack of oxygen.
When the drowning person has been rescued, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation will have to be applied. It does not matter whether it is a wet or dry drowning. In case of wet drowning, fluid will drain from the lungs during resuscitation. In the case of dry drowning, the victim may vomit, causing water to drain from the stomach. But even in the case of dry drowning, the lungs must open again so that air (and oxygen) can enter.
Late drowning
Dry drowning is also sometimes confused with late drowning. A late drowning can occur one to several hours after a drowning accident. Sometimes there is no real drowning at all and the victim accidentally gets water in the lungs. The victim then went under for a while but managed to come back up on his own.
Late drowning occurs when water enters the lungs. This can be a large amount, but even a small sip of water in the lungs is sufficient to cause late drowning. Late drowning is also called secondary drowning.
The alveoli are damaged by the presence of fluid in the lungs. This causes an inflammatory response. The alveoli collapse, causing oxygen to be absorbed less effectively. This causes shortness of breath. It often starts with fatigue, especially in children. Parents then think that the child is tired from swimming or from the accident. The child may exhibit different behavior caused by a lack of oxygen in the brain.
The shortness of breath is later accompanied by foamy breathing. This is caused by the release of proteins. White foam is released when coughing up. This can also be pink, the foam is then mixed with blood. There is also often cramp in the throat. Without immediate treatment, the victim will die due to lack of oxygen.
To the doctor
In the event of a near-drowning, the victim must always be seen by a doctor, even if he is conscious and can breathe on his own. Moisture and dirt in the lungs can cause inflammation and damage. If a child (or adult) has swallowed water while swimming or playing in the water and shows shortness of breath after a few hours, it is advisable to contact a doctor immediately. Late drowning can occur up to 48 hours after ingesting water. Moreover, there does not have to be a ‘real’ accident for water to enter the lungs. In all other cases of doubt, also consult a doctor.
