But that night, Johnny was wheezing and coughing fitfully. It was only when his respiration started to sound like a rattle, and he got highly irritable that his parents became worried and rushed him to the hospital.
It was a good thing they acted. It turns out that little Johnny was suffering from a condition known as dry drowning, which occurs when ingested water causes complications in the lungs. This causes the lungs to start secreting fluids, and in turn makes the sufferer unable to extract oxygen, primarily due to muscle paralysis.
Left untreated, the condition can result in death. It’s not easy to spot, even by the most observant parent. Dry drowning can occur from ingesting small amounts of water, as with getting water in the mouth while swimming or being dunked unexpectedly during horseplay.
It also can be sparked by muscular paralysis or a wound or blow to the torso that damages the diaphragm, making it hard for the organ to function. The condition can also stem from holding your breath, muscular paralysis and exposure for a period to methane gas and other toxic environmental factors. Death can occur within 24 hours if not treated.