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Dry Drowning: Is it a Real Concern?

Britta Hanson

July 10, 2018

North Dakota State University

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Dry Drowning: Is it a Real Concern?

Dry drowning has been frequenting the headlines as summertime hits and children head

to the pools and lakes. The term dry drowning in and of itself is an oxymoron, but the term refers

to complications due to water being ingested while swimming. Controversy arises between

popular media and authoritative sources on the term ‘dry drowning’ and can be argued whether it

is a legitimate concern for children. Similarities and differences between the topic are found

amongst sources, which will be further explored.

Finding popular media sources on dry drowning is not a difficult task; one internet search

yields thousands of sources, varying from news casts to newspaper articles to blogs. However,

finding authoritative sources with reliable and credible authors proves to be more of a challenge

when focusing on the topic of dry drowning. Distinguishing popular media sources from

authoritative sources can prove to be a challenge, yet readers must be able to determine what

information is reliable. The purpose of the casebook is to compare three popular media sources

with three authoritative sources and examine the content of each one to identify similarities and

differences. The Today Show ran a segment on the show telling the story of a 4-year-old girl who

experienced dry drowning and was luckily treated before it took her life. ABC News also made a

clip about the same incident along with an article on the website written by Dr. David J. Kim.

One other popular media source, parents.com, dives into the problem, yet reassures parents it is a

rare occurrence. The media’s view of dry drowning is mostly based off stories from real

experiences.

Authoritative sources on dry drowning are written with the purpose to inform readers

about the scientific and medical explanation of how it occurs. The Mayo Clinic has a trustworthy

medical website which provides a more in-depth description of what occurs in the body in the
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instance of dry drowning. The Mayo Clinic website further discusses the pathophysiology behind

noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, which happens during an episode of dry drowning. An article

titled “Dry Drowning: A Distinction Without a Difference” (Tobin et al., 2017) also reveals the

science behind drowning and explains what happens within the body. One other source,

webmd.com, provides reliable health information to the general public. An article on WebMD by

Gardner (2017) titled “What is Dry Drowning?”, explains the differences between dry drowning

and secondary drowning. All three authoritative sources produced similar information which

discusses what happens in the body during an episode of dry drowning.

Summary of Popular Media Sources

The Today Show aired a story about a 4-year-old girl who experienced dry drowning, but

her mother brought her into the emergency room after recognizing her symptoms were most

likely related to dry drowning. The Today Show aired the clip, which mainly focused on the story

of the girl and her mother, but the accompanying article online further discusses the phenomenon

of dry drowning. The online article by Holohan (2018) validates parents’ concerns, “Drowning is

one of the leading causes of death among children”. However, the article goes on to explain that

dry drowning and secondary drowning are different. There are many different types of drowning,

but Holohan (2018) states, “Secondary and dry drowning are not as common, but can be very

dangerous”. Signs and symptoms are also stated so parents know what to look for if they suspect

their child might be at risk. Coughing, vomiting, lethargy, and trouble breathing are signs and

symptoms to watch for (Holohan, 2018). The article wraps up by providing some tips for

prevention, including: children should take swimming lessons, parents should know CPR, and

water safety measures should be taken. The overall flow of the article begins by telling the story
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of a near death accident that was avoided and goes on to explain to parents the dangers of dry

drowning and what parents can do to prevent it from happening to their child.

Another popular media source that shared a story about dry drowning was ABC News.

The news channel aired a segment on a story of the same 4-year-old girl who ingested water

while swimming and was taken to the emergency room the next day when she started

experiencing the tell-tale signs of dry drowning. An online article written by Dr. David J. Kim

can be found online to supplement the news clip. Dr. Kim (2018) explains the physiology behind

dry drowning stating, “Ingesting a small amount of water into the throat causes spasms of the

vocal cords and the airways”. Dr. Kim also describes how health professionals don’t generally

use the term dry drowning, but instead use the terms drowning incident or drowning related

complications, the actual term is noncardiogenic pulmonary edema (2018). In the instance of

drowning related complications, treatment is not universal between all victims, some will require

100% oxygen through a mask and some might need a breathing tube or even a ventilator in

extreme cases. One other aspect discussed in the online article is the signs and symptoms

expected to present themselves with a case of dry drowning. Coughing, difficulty breathing,

vomiting, and change in behavior are the most common signs that occur with dry drowning

(Kim, 2018). ABC News is a popular media source that produced both a news clip and an online

article discussing dry drowning.

Parents.com is a website containing many online articles, blogs, and forums about all

things related to parenting. An article about dry drowning appeared on the website explaining the

dangers of submersion injuries. The article explains the difference between dry drowning and

secondary drowning and claims that both are medically referred to as submersion injuries. This

particular article does not share an actual story of a dry drowning incident, but rather warns
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parents of the potential risks. The article shares the typical signs and symptoms of dry drowning

so parents are aware of potential changes in their child if they suspect their child has swallowed

water. These symptoms include: coughing, vomiting, sleepiness, increased effort to breathe, and

forgetfulness (Mauer, 2018). Parents are warned to watch for these classic signs and either call a

physician or bring the child in to the emergency room. Mauer (2018) also shares some tips for

prevention, which include: swimming lessons for children, close parental supervision while

children are in the water, and water safety measures. The article provided a basic explanation of

dry drowning and explained the signs and symptoms, as well as prevention tips.

Summary of Authoritative Sources

A scholarly article titled “Dry Drowning: A Distinction Without a Difference” by Tobin

et al. (2017) focuses on the terms used to describe different types of drowning and how they are

unnecessary. Tobin et al. (2017) claims, “The use of the term ‘dry drowning’, however, is

obsolete and confusing”. The authors of the article believe the different types of drowning to be

confusing to the general public and can easily be mixed up. Dry drowning is also noted as an

uncommon mechanism of death and is described as a phenomenon due to “laryngospasm, or

transfer of water into the vasculature” (Tobin et al. 2017). The article goes into depth about the

exact physiology of dry drowning versus secondary drowning to prove the minute details are the

only differences between the different types of drowning. Tobin et al. (2017) makes a claim that

the terms dry, wet, passive, active, and near should be eliminated altogether and be referred to as

simply drowning or submersion related injuries.

Another authoritative source is the Mayo Clinic’s website containing many articles and

pages written by doctors and health care professionals. A page on the website explains how dry

drowning can lead to noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, which occurs when excess fluid enters
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the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe. This is the reason children begin to suffer up to 24

hours after inhaling water and can be the cause of death if not treated promptly and properly. The

Mayo Clinic (2018) states, “Inhaling water causes noncardiogenic pulmonary edema that is

reversible with immediate attention”. The Mayo Clinic discusses how fluid in the lungs can lead

to problems breathing and explains in medical terminology what happens after water is sitting in

the lungs. Signs and symptoms, such as coughing, vomiting, trouble breathing, and changes in

behavior are also listed on the website as problems that occur with noncardiogenic pulmonary

edema (Mayo Clinic, 2018). The page also claims that as long as the patient is treated quickly,

the outlook is greatly improved. The Mayo Clinic (2018) also describes the differences between

pulmonary edema caused by the heart versus other sources, which relates to the specific

symptoms that occur in cases such as dry drownings.

Gardner’s 2017 article found on webmd.com goes into depth differentiating between dry

drowning and secondary drowning. According to webmd.com, signs and symptoms of dry

drowning would be noticed instantly because spasms in the vocal cords would occur (2017).

However, secondary drowning is when water enters the lungs and irritates the lining of the lungs

causing pulmonary edema, which would cause symptoms to occur up to 24 hours later, not

instantly. The article “What is Dry Drowning?”, explains how secondary drowning is the

medically correct term that should be used instead of dry drowning. Gardner (2017) goes on to

describe the signs and symptoms that would be noticed in cases of secondary drowning, which

are coughing, chest pain, trouble breathing, and fatigue. The article also suggests keeping a close

eye on children for 24 hours after an episode of water ingestion while swimming and watch for

them to exhibit any of the symptoms. If the child presents with symptoms, Gardner suggests

taking the child straight to the emergency room (2017). The best way to prevent dry or secondary
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drowning from occurring is to practice proper water safety measures (Gardner, 2017). Overall,

Gardner’s article is more about the differences between dry and secondary drownings and what

to do if a child is experiencing the typical signs and symptoms.

Comparing Popular Media and Authoritative Sources

Popular media and authoritative sources often contain discrepancies when compared.

Among the six sources compared related to dry drowning, the similarities found had to do with

the signs and symptoms associated with an incident of dry drowning. Five out of six sources

stated that coughing, vomiting, and difficulty breathing are tell-tale signs of dry drowning. Two

of the popular media sources (parents.com & The Today Show) and one authoritative source

(webmd.com), describe water safety measures as the best prevention strategies. Four of the

sources (parents.com, The Today Show, webmd.com, and “Dry Drowning: A Distinction Without

a Difference”) explain the difference between dry drowning and secondary drowning, all

agreeing that secondary drowning is the phenomenon which occurs up to 24 hours after ingesting

water. There were many similarities found between all sources, which confirms the validity of

those specific facts.

A major difference between the popular media sources and authoritative sources is that

the popular media sources were mainly telling a story of a near tragedy, whereas the authoritative

sources discussed the medical terminology and the pathophysiology behind the phenomenon.

The article found on webmd.com by Gardner (2017), differed from all the other articles in

making the claim that if a child experiences any of the signs and symptoms, the child should be

taken to the emergency room right away versus calling a physician. Another difference is found

in the article “Dry Drowning: A Distinction Without a Difference”, as it was the only source

explaining why different terms for drowning should be eliminated because they can cause
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confusion. The article found on webmd.com listed chest pain as a symptom of dry drowning, but

it was the only source that had chest pain listed as a symptom. All articles that contained a

pathophysiological explanation were in agreeance with each other.

Although there were similarities between all the sources, the differences don’t contradict

the information among each source. Authoritative sources are written professionally, but popular

media sources may be influenced by bias. When analyzing any source from the media, it is

important to be aware of any potential bias which may undermine the information presented in a

source. The sources from ABC News and The Today Show could potentially be viewed with bias

since the information is presented through the story of a 4-year-old girl who almost drowned.

Readers are often impacted by the use of rhetoric, which is found more in popular media sources.

When the reader feels empathy, guilt, or shame, they are more likely to agree with the

information being presented. Authoritative sources appeal more to the use of logic and credibility

to gain the trust of readers while presenting the information. Readers must always be aware of

any potential biases within a source and pay close attention to what the author is attempting to

communicate.

Health professionals must always be aware of the current events happening within the

popular media. Patients may not look into authoritative sources and can be easily swayed by

what the popular media displays. However, health professionals should be up-to-date on current

popular media sources so they are able to properly inform patients with the correct scientific

information. Providing patients with reliable, credible sources is a great way to encourage

patients to get the correct information. Patients are flooded with popular media sources every

single day, so health professionals must always be prepared to have conversations regarding the

popular media and correct any false information or misunderstandings which may be found.
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Conclusion

Comparing popular media and authoritative sources reveals similarities and differences in

the information available on dry drowning. The popular media sources focus more on the

public’s perception of dry drowning and how to prevent it happening to children, whereas the

authoritative sources focus more on the correct terminology and pathophysiology of a drowning

incident. Most sources elude to the fact that dry drowning is very rare and not a common cause

of death, yet the media portrays it to be more common than it is. Parents become concerned

about their child’s safety after hearing the same story broadcasted across many news stations,

when realistically, dry drowning is a rare phenomenon. Readers, or viewers, interested in the

topic should always be willing to look up more information written by medical professionals.

When searching for information on any topic, readers should always be wary of the

source from which they are obtaining it. Popular media sources, such as well-known news

stations and organizations can usually be trusted, but personal blogs or online articles may not

always provide scientifically sound information. Doing additional research on the author of any

source is a valuable way to find out if they put out credible information. Most authoritative

sources, such as scholarly journals, articles, or websites of medical professionals can be trusted.

If a source doesn’t seem to be correct or presents conflicting ideas, further research should be

done. When in doubt, it’s always better to do more research on the source of information.

Overall, authoritative sources generally prove to be more trustworthy than popular media

sources. The authoritative sources found on dry drowning are more reliable due to the authors’

credibility as well as the sources they come from. Most of the information from the popular

media aligned with the information from more credible sources, but poplar media sources often

involve personal stories, which can introduce bias. When choosing a source to find information,
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always be aware of the credibility of the author and source, any bias that may be present, and the

reason the information was written.

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References

Gardner, A. (2017). What is ‘dry drowning’?. WebMD. Retrieved from

https://www.webmd.com/children/features/secondary-drowning-dry-drowning#1

Holohan, M. (2018). How to spot and prevent dry and secondary drowning this summer. Today.

Retrieved from https://www.today.com/parents/dry-secondary-drowning-kids-how-spot-

prevent-t129574

Kim, D. J. (2018). What to know about ‘dry drowning’ after 4-year-old’s incident. ABC News.

Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/Health/dry-drowning-year-olds-

incident/story?id=54663459

Mauer, E. D. (2018). Dry drowning: Know the signs. Parents. Retrieved from

https://www.parents.com/kids/safety/outdoor/dry-drowning/

Mayo Clinic Staff (2018). Pulmonary edema. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pulmonary-edema/symptoms-

causes/syc-20377009

Tobin, J. M., Rossano, J. W., Wernicki, P. G., Fielding, R., Quan, L., & Markenson, D. (2017).

Dry drowning: A distinction without a difference. Resuscitation, 118, e5-e6.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2017.06.023