What is Drowning?
Drowning is a process with three possible outcomes; Death, Survival with no injury, or Survival with injury.
Drowning is the ‘process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid’. Drowning can either be fatal or non-fatal. Non‑fatal drowning can cause lasting brain damage, leading to long‑term cognitive and functional disabilities.
Drowning is often misrepresented as only a fatal event but this was redefined in 2005. The updated definition is, “Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid.”
Outcomes fall into three categories:
- Death
- Survival without injury
- Survival with injury (including brain damage)
Outdated terms that should no longer be used include dry, wet, active, passive, secondary, and near‑drowning.