Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Drowning
People drown when they get too much water in their lungs. You can drown in as little as an inch or two of water. Babies can drown in a sink or bathtub. Preschoolers are most likely to drown in a swimming pool. People who have seizure disorders are also at risk in the water. Drowning can happen quickly and silently.
Drowning precautions should include:
- Fences around pools
- Supervising children near any body of water, including tubs
- Not swimming or boating when under the influence of alcohol or sedatives
- Wearing life jackets when boating
- Learning CPR
It sits within Injuries and Wounds.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Drowning
23 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Drowning-related Acute Respiratory FailureAssistance Publique Hopitaux De Marseille
- Expanded Access Protocol: Umbilical Cord Blood Infusions for Children With Brain InjuriesJoanne Kurtzberg, MD
- Water Competency Intervention in AutismOhio State University
- Primary or Secondary DrowningPrehospital Center, Region Zealand
- Using Machine Learning to Optimise the Danish Drowning FormulaPrehospital Center, Region Zealand
- The Emergency Call on DrowningPrehospital Center, Region Zealand
Research already completed
- Sensory Supported Swimming for Children With ASDUniversity of Kansas Medical Center
- Observational Study of Drowning Patient's Emergency Care in Its Pre-hospital Phase.Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer
- In Situ Simulation Training in Lifeguard OrganisationsPrehospital Center, Region Zealand
- Drowning in Denmark: A Registry-based Study of Fatal and Non-fatal Drowning From 2016 to 2023Prehospital Center, Region Zealand
- Teaching Young Children Swim Survival SkillsUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
- Drowning Incidents Treated by the Danish SAR HelicoptersPrehospital Center, Region Zealand
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Learn More
- AAP, AHA Update Guidelines on Resuscitation after DrowningAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): First AidMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Drowning FactsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Drowning Prevention for Curious Toddlers: What Parents Need to KnowAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Drowning Prevention ResourcesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Infant Water Safety: Protect Your New Baby from DrowningAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Pool Dangers and Drowning Prevention -- When It's Not Swimming TimeAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Water SafetyAmerican Red Cross
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Drowning. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Drowning, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.