Dry Drowning: Myths and Misconceptions

Drowning is a leading cause of death in children and is highly preventable. More than 10 people die of drowning in the United States each day, most of them adults. Rates of drowning are highest in children given their developmental vulnerabilities. Drowning incidents that result in cardiopulmonary arrest have a straightforward emergency clinical response, but the management approaches to the more common scenario of brief, nonfatal submersion is less clear. Clinicians must make clinical-care decisions based on evidence to provide safe and effective care in a timely manner and to help families avoid unnecessary anxiety. Such anxiety has been heightened by reports of unanticipated "dry drowning" appearing in the media. This article discusses this concept and provides guidance for clinicians. [Pediatr Ann. 2017;46(10):e354-e357.].