HWN Suggests

Debunking the Myth of Dry Drowning: 2025 Update

Like most urban legends, “dry drowning” starts from a kernel of truth. In the 20th century, pathologists discovered that a certain percentage of fatal drowning patients were discovered at autopsy to have no water in their lungs. This was previously attributed to spasm of the throat muscles, a so-called “laryngospasm,” which prevented water from entering the lungs; absorption of water across the alveoli; or death from strangulation, sudden cardiac arrest, or other causes. This pathological finding was termed “dry drowning” to differentiate it from drownings with water found in the lungs at autopsy. In board exams of this era, a classic test response was that 10 percent to 20 percent of fatal drownings…

read full article

Articles of Interest

Debunking dry drowning

“Dry drowning is not a correct term, and it should be retired,” said Dr. Rohit Shenoi, professor of pediatrics – emergency medicine at Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital. The term dry drowning was coined years ago based on autopsies in drowning victims that showed little to no water in the lungs. Dry drowning has sometimes been used to describe symptoms that develop hours to days after swimming or a nonfatal drowning event. However, Shenoi emphasizes the need to remove the phrase “dry drowning” from vocabularies as it is inaccurate.

Dispelling 'Dry Drowning' and Other Swimming Safety Myths

Each summer, news of secondary or “dry” drowning hits social media. An emergency department physician explains the nuance of this rumored risk.

Dry Drowning Doesn’t Exist

Drowning is preventable, but this requires education and knowledge about what it is, how it happens, and the strategies needed to avoid such sad incidents from taking place, strategies such as layers of protection. Unfortunately, there is significant misinformation in the media and the general public about drowning terms. Misnomers such as “dry drowning” (also known as “secondary drowning”) are misleading and inaccurate. Furthermore, we must work to eradicate the use of these misnomers because dry drowning does not exist.

The Myth of Dry Drowning Remains at Large

Drowning continues to be a leading cause of injury death worldwide, especially among children. Hypoxemia and subsequent cerebral hypoxia are the primary causes of morbidity and mortality, and their immediate reversal should be the goal of any initial intervention.

Understanding dry drowning: Separating myth from reality

Learn the facts about dry drowning, the symptoms, and how to keep your child safe.

“Dry drowning” the summer medical oxymoron

Undoubtedly you will see a child with a “near drowning” if you work in the ED during the summer. Most children are fine, even those that received some back blows, mouth to mouth or some semblance of bystander rescue maneuvers. Asymptomatic children (no respiratory symptoms) can be safely discharged home. Those that are having difficulty breathing or other symptoms should receive appropriate respiratory support and be followed closely clinically and with chest x-rays when the situation changes. All symptomatic children should be admitted to the hospital.