An 8-year-old boy and his mother were sitting on the shoreline when a single wave suddenly hit them. The boy was conscious but breathing with difficulty after having involuntarily swallowed water. A rescuer who happened to be at the site activated an emergency action plan and performed artificial respiration until the boy recovered. Had he not performed the emergency procedure, the boy could have had his pulse stopped after losing oxygen until he died, if no one had saved him.
Jessie Campos, a former senior lifeguard, said the boy suffered from what is known as dry drowning. The incident happened at Dubai's Al Mamzar Beach four years ago. Campos cautioned parents against ignoring signs of dry drowning, which can happen even in seemingly harmless situations like the one above. "At least one family member must know about Basic Life Support, or else every school must conduct or practice at least once a month about life-saving to all the students and tell them to share their knowledge with their families," Campos told Khaleej Times.
He explained how dry drowning can happen: “Children playing in the pool can be at risk for dry drowning. For example, when they splash water or if one child jumps near another doing a back float, the waves can cause the floating child to swallow water. This can also happen at the beach in rough waves. Additionally, dry drowning can occur while drinking water; if someone distracts you or scares you while you're drinking, it might cause you to swallow water. Lying on your back can also lead to this in rare cases,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Dr. Raiza Hameed, a pulmonologist at Aster Clinic, explained that inhaling water can lead to 'laryngospasm,' where the vocal cords seal the airway to prevent water from entering the lungs. "This results in water entering the stomach instead. While laryngospasm prevents water from entering the lungs, it also disrupts normal breathing. Sometimes, the airway seal can persist until cardiac arrest occurs, resulting in what's dry drowning, as no water enters the lungs."
She further clarified that drowning and near-drowning events are leading causes of death in children, noting that one can drown in just a few minutes, even in water as shallow as an inch. The signs and symptoms of dry drowning are similar to those experienced during drowning. No matter how many terms are used to describe it or how long the symptoms persist, drowning remains a significant danger to children. Caregivers must educate themselves so they can effectively care for and assist children in case of drowning incidents.
Symptoms Dr Sudha Rao, a pediatrician at Aster Royal Clinic, said children with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma or allergies, are more susceptible to problems stemming from water inhalation, as it can lead to airway irritation and subsequent breathing difficulties. Furthermore, children with neurological or developmental disorders, such as Cerebral Palsy or Down syndrome, face increased risks of accidental water inhalation due to limited motor control.
What to do Dr. Rao also explained how caregivers must act in case of child drowning: Educating parents and caregivers about drowning prevention is crucial. Community education programs about water safety should include CPR training, swimming lessons, and water rescue techniques. Staying calm is essential for assessing the situation if a child is experiencing drowning. Symptoms of drowning to look for include difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, and chest pain. In older children, sudden behavioral changes, confusion, agitation, or a bluish color of the face or lips may be observed.
The next critical step is to call emergency services and monitor the child. If breathing becomes difficult or ceases altogether, CPR should be initiated by a trained individual. The child should be positioned comfortably and upright to ease breathing. If a child is found submerged in water and lacks a pulse, starting CPR and alerting emergency medical services are vital. Additionally, if a child is found but has a pulse yet is not acting normally—such as being incoherent, lethargic, experiencing excessive coughing, or showing abnormal breathing (like rapid breathing or foaming at the mouth)—they still require immediate medical attention.
