Can near drowning cause permanent breathing problems?

Yes, near drowning can cause lasting health problems and in some cases can even lead to permanent breathing difficulties. In general, the more time a person spends underwater or submerged in water, the greater the risk of oxygen deprivation and related health issues. These complications can include swelling of the lungs (pulmonary edema), lung infections (pneumonia), difficulty breathing that lasts for weeks or months (respiratory distress syndrome) and neurological conditions such as cognitive impairment from decreased oxygen levels to the brain over a prolonged period of time. Furthermore, even if someone survives near-drowning without any serious long-term issues, they could face physical challenges such as muscle weakness from lack of oxygen during the incident which may make it difficult to complete everyday tasks like climbing stairs. It is important for anyone who has experienced near drowning to seek immediate medical attention and follow-up care with their doctor regularly following their recovery.