Drowning only occurs while IN the water.
FICTION: There are two types of drowning that can occur after you have left the water. There is a secondary drowning that occurs when a small amount of dirty water (usually from a lake, ocean, or river) enters the trachea and lungs and causes an infection. This can occur up to 72 hours after the incident. Dry drowning occurs when a person inhales water causing the vocal cords to spasm and close up, causing difficulty breathing. In this occurrence, water never enters the lungs. This usually occurs immediately after the incident, or within 24 hours. Both, if not detected and treated can lead to death. While more common in children, these can occur in both children and adults. Typically, this will not happen if a tiny amount of water is swallowed and the individual is completely fine following the incident, as is a common occurrence for both adults and children when swimming. When any type of drowning or inhalation of water occurs the individual with most likely experience distress, and probably will not be completely okay following the incident. While secondary or “dry” drowning is extremely rare, it is good to note some warning signs. Difficulty breathing, excessive coughing, abnormal behavior, foaming in the mouth, chest pain, vomiting, extreme fatigue, or blue/pale skin are all concerning symptoms. You should absolutely contact a doctor if any of these occur at any time, and especially if inhalation of water as occurred within the past few days.