“Dry Drowning” and Swim Lessons: What Parents Should Know

Apr 24

As parents, we’re constantly trying to stay informed and aware of risks so we can keep our kids safe - especially around water. If you’ve ever come across stories about “dry drowning” or “secondary drowning,” you’re not alone. They can be really scary.

At Pikes Peak Athletics, we’re parents too. And we believe in the importance of education for our entire community - not fear. There’s a big difference between staying informed and being overwhelmed by sensationalized information, and our goal is to help you feel confident, not anxious.

Organizations like the National Institute of Health and the American Red Cross have clarified that “dry drowning” isn’t actually a medical diagnosis, and the way it’s often talked about online can be both misleading and panic inducing.

So, what are those stories really about?

In very rare cases, complications can happen after a true near-drowning event - when a child has been submerged for a prolonged period, inhaled a significant amount of water, and needed immediate medical attention but didn’t receive it.

That’s a very different situation than what happens in a supervised swim lesson.

What’s normal during swim lessons?

Especially with babies and toddlers, it’s completely normal for children to:

Come up coughing or sputtering after going underwater
Swallow small amounts of water
Need a moment to reset after submersion

We know those moments can feel a little alarming - but they’re actually part of the learning process.

Coughing is a good thing. It means your child’s body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do - clearing water from the airway.

And while swallowing water can sometimes lead to a tummy ache or even throwing up later (especially in little ones), it’s not dangerous - it’s just the body working things out.

How we approach safety in lessons

At PPA, safety is always our top priority - but we also recognize that learning important skills sometimes comes with a little bit of discomfort.

We intentionally:

Teach breath control step-by-step (like blowing bubbles, then bobs, then full submersion)
Encourage natural breath cues before going underwater
Limit repeated submersions if a child has already swallowed or inhaled water
Focus on helping kids stay calm and respond to the water, not panic

Our goal isn’t to make every moment perfectly comfortable - it’s to help children learn how to navigate the water safely and confidently, even when it feels a little unfamiliar.

When should you be concerned?

We always want you to trust your instincts as a parent. That said, the situations that require medical attention look very different from a typical swim lesson.

You should seek medical care if your child:

Was submerged for a prolonged period of time
Needed help getting out of the water (think a rescue situation, not typical support exiting the pool) or wasn’t responsive
Has ongoing breathing difficulty, unusual fatigue, or persistent coughing well after leaving the water

Again, these are not things we see in normal lesson settings - but it’s helpful to know what would be concerning.

The bottom line

Your child briefly going underwater, coughing, or swallowing a little water during a lesson does not put them at risk for “dry drowning.”

In fact, these small moments are part of how children learn critical safety skills - like breath control and recovery - that help protect them in real-life situations.

At Pikes Peak Athletics, we’re here to support you, answer your questions, and partner with you in raising safe, confident swimmers.