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Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD, Johnny Jackson, a 10-year-old American boy from South Carolina, died at home on Sunday from "dry drowning" more than an hour after going swimming and walking home with his mother. The sad event highlights a little known danger that parents and child carers should be aware of, that drowning can kill hours after being submersed in water.
That's still a frightening thing and something parents should be aware of. I know the first time I ever heard about Dry Drowning I watched my daughter like a hawk and I still tell her to try and not swallow water (she is 11). Probably good advise for adults too, as I'm sure it can happen to them too.
I think this is what happened to the woman who won a radio station's contest to see who could drink the most water. She won and died. Incredibly sad.
I'm pretty sure that death from excessive fluid intake and dry drowning are two different things. I think that the woman who died after the contest died from drinking enormous amounts of fluid/water. Dry drowning may not be that much water but the water is swallowed ("goes down the wrong pipe") and is concentrated in the lungs.
Death from excessive water intake is usually caused by severe swelling in the brain (but a side effect may be excessive water in the lungs) after gallons of water are drank normally down the throat and into the stomach.
Any way that it happens an unexpected death is always tragic.
Last edited by germaine2626; 03-02-2014 at 03:07 PM..
An important topic, but also important to note the details in the OP are factually incorrect. The boy in the OP tragically died of delayed drowning.
Here is an explanation of dry drowning and delayed drowning.
Dry drowning is a forceful spasm of the vocal cords and larynx, called a laryngospasm, a reflex prevents the passage of any water into the lungs. It also prevents the passage of air, and the person dies of asphyxia.
Delayed drowning happens after a problematic incident in the water, water is actually forced into the lungs and not discovered until it's too late.
An important topic, but also important to note the details in the OP are factually incorrect. The boy in the OP tragically died of delayed drowning.
Here is an explanation of dry drowning and delayed drowning.
Dry drowning is a forceful spasm of the vocal cords and larynx, called a laryngospasm, a reflex prevents the passage of any water into the lungs. It also prevents the passage of air, and the person dies of asphyxia.
Delayed drowning happens after a problematic incident in the water, water is actually forced into the lungs and not discovered until it's too late.
Thanks, Zimbo. That's very informative. I was a competitive swimmer and never heard of those types of drowning.
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