What is drowning?
According to the World Health Organization, “Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid.” The possible outcomes of drowning are classified as death, morbidity (the development of disability or injury), and no morbidity. This relatively simple definition was agreed upon at the 2002 World Congress of Drowning held in Amsterdam. Prior to that meeting, some definitions and classifications of drowning were not necessarily well defined, and their meanings were subject to a variety of interpretations by different countries and health organizations. While some people still try to sort drowning events into categories (for example wet vs. dry, primary vs. secondary, fatal vs. non-fatal), these terms may or may not adequately describe a patient’s situation, the effects of drowning on their body, or the potential outcome. Drowning is a common cause of death and disability. In 2002 over 400,000 (worldwide) people died from drowning; of the 400
