Dry and secondary drowning: Hidden threats for swimmers

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Dry and secondary drowning are potentially tragic medical emergencies that can occur even after a swimmer has left the water.

While symptoms of dry drowning typically occur right after a water incident, secondary drowning symptoms can appear hours after a near-drowning experience.

If your child has recently had a near-drowning experience, or inhaled a large amount of water, doctors suggest watching them for the following signs:

- Trouble breathing

- Coughing

- Sleepiness or a drop in energy level

- Irritability

- Chest pain

- Vomiting

Be attentive to changes in behavior, which in some cases may appear is if the child is tired from a long day of swimming.