Every summer since 2017, many parents worry about their child being the victim of dry drowning.
Why 2017? “That year, a 4-year-old child died suddenly, 72 hours after drinking the cup and without warning signs”, explains Doctor François-Xavier Moronval, head of the Vosges Emergency Care Education Center. .
“The media and social networks have taken over the case. It got packed. However, the child’s autopsy revealed that the death was due to myocarditis. But too late. The myth of dry drowning was launched. »
No “on/off”
The emergency physician thus recalls that there is “only drowning: when you swallow a lot of water and the lungs are no longer oxygenated”.
Clearly, there is no “on/off” situation. It never happens that someone drinks the cup, feels perfectly fine, and then dies three days later. This legend of dry drowning has only one purpose: to worry parents unnecessarily! »
Signs of worry?
In fact, if signs should appear, they will within hours of ingesting water.
“If a child drinks from the cup repeatedly, they will have to be supervised. A persistent cough, fever or difficulty breathing can gradually lead to a lung infection. But that won’t happen overnight. If overall the child no longer coughs after 15 minutes, there is no cause for alarm. »
Note: Public Health France drives the point home, also stating that this concept of “dry” drowning has no scientific basis and that drowning without water in the lungs and without any warning signs, does not exist.