Dry Drowning: What You Need to Know

Guest: Denise Dowd, MD, MPH, Associate Pediatric Director, Office of Faculty Development, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Room Physician at Children’s Mercy Hospital Last month a viral photo of a Florida four-year-old sparked renewed attention to “dry drowning.” The girl had accidentally inhaled some pool water and vomited, but seemed fine. Days later, though, she was rushed to the emergency room with a fever, accelerated heart rate, and face turning purple. She survived, thankfully, and her mother took to social media to share her story. These dry drowning stories are scary for parents, but many medical experts caution that it’s not a true medical condition. Worse, they worry confusion over “dry drowning” causes parents to panic unnecessarily and distracts from the real risks of drowning.