Dry drowning

Drowning is defined as respiratory impairment as a result of being in or under a liquid. Drowning typically occurs silently, with only a few people able to wave their hands or call for help. Symptoms following rescue may include breathing problems, vomiting, confusion, or unconsciousness. Occasionally symptoms may not appear until up to six hours afterwards. Drowning may be complicated by low body temperature, aspiration of vomit, or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Drowning is more common when the weather is warm and among those with frequent access to water. Risk factors include alcohol use, epilepsy, and low socioeconomic status. Common locations of drowning include swimming pools, bathtubs, natural bodies of water, and buckets. Initially the person holds their breath, which is followed by laryngospasm, and then low oxygen levels. Significant amounts of water typically only enter the lungs later in the process. It may be classified into three types: drowning with death, drowning with ongoing health problems, and drowning with no ongoing health problems. Efforts to prevent drowning include teaching children to swim, safe boating practices, and limiting or removing access to water such as by fencing pools. Treatment of those whose who are not breathing should begin with opening the airway and providing five breaths. In those whose heart is not beating and who have been underwater for less than an hour CPR is recommended. Survival rates are better among those with a shorter time under the water. Among children who survive poor outcomes occur in about 7.5% of cases. In 2015, there were an estimated 4.5 million cases of unintentional drowning worldwide. That year, there were 324,000 drowning cases, making it the third leading cause of death from unintentional injuries after falls and motor vehicle collisions. Of these deaths, 56,000 occurred in children less than five years old. Drowning accounts for 7% of all injury related deaths, with more than 90% of these deaths occurring in developing countries. Drowning occurs more frequently in males and the young. Drowning is most often quick and unspectacular. Its media depictions as a loud, violent struggle have much more in common with distressed non-swimmers, who may well drown but have not yet begun to do so. In particular, an asphyxiating person is seldom able to call for help. The instinctive drowning response covers many signs or behaviors associated with drowning or near-drowning: Drowning begins at the point a person is unable to keep their mouth above water; inhalation of water takes place at a later stage. Most people demonstrating the instinctive drowning response do not show obvious prior evidence of distress. A person drowning is generally unable to call for help, or seek attention, as they cannot obtain enough air. The instinctive drowning response is the final set of autonomic reactions in the 20–60 seconds before sinking underwater, and to the untrained eye can look similar to calm safe behavior. Lifeguards and other persons trained in rescue learn to recognize drowning people by watching for these movements. Approximately 90% of drownings take place in freshwater (rivers, lakes and swimming pools) and 10% in seawater. Drownings in other fluids are rare, and often relate to industrial accidents. In New Zealand's early colonial history, so many settlers died while trying to cross rivers that drowning was known as 'The New Zealand death'.