Table of contents:
- Definition
- What is drowning?
- Management of drowning victims
- What should I do?
- Do you need a doctor in this case?
- Prevention
Definition
What is drowning?
A person is said to drown when they inhale too much water into their lungs. You can even submerge in 3 or 5 cm of water.
Babies can experience this in the sink or bathtub. Likewise with preschoolers in the swimming pool. People who have seizure disorders are also at risk of drowning in water. These events can happen quickly and sometimes go unnoticed by others.
What is the sign of a drowning person?
A person is said to be drowning when that person no longer moves his feet in the water. People who experience this incident tend not to move so that other people are sometimes not aware that the victim drowned.
Victims tend to come to the surface of the water in a stiff state or even just stay still and float on the water, some even remain at the bottom of the water.
Victims of this incident are often seen as if they are floating with their heads bobbing and mouths wide open. They usually can still breathe but with shallow breaths. Their eyes tend to open wide in panic.
Attempts to swim are also usually weak and poorly coordinated.
Management of drowning victims
What should I do?
The first aid you may be able to do is to give breaths from mouth to mouth as soon as possible. This breathing should be done as soon as possible, either on a boat, on a float, or in shallow water.
This method should be continued until the victim has received medical care, especially if the victim is a child. This is because children take longer to recover, especially if submerged in cold water.
If there is a possibility of a neck injury, for example if you experienced this while diving, make sure the neck is not bent or twisted. If the victim is still in the water, help him stay afloat on the surface of the water until a neck brace is attached or until several people can lift him out of the water and hold his head.
Vomiting often occurs because the stomach usually enters water when the victim experiences this event. If the victim vomits, turn on his side or face down. This is done to prevent water from entering the lungs.
The lungs usually do not enter water because they are protected by the spasm (contraction) of the vocal cords. Avoid putting pressure on the stomach as you try to resuscitate the victim as this can lead to vomiting.
Do you need a doctor in this case?
Immediately call the emergency number or get to the hospital if you are dealing with drowning victims.
Prevention
To prevent this incident, never leave children younger than 3 years of age unattended, especially when they are in a bathtub or wading pool. Toddlers can drown even in water as deep as 3 cm.
Never leave a child unattended when near a large bucket, especially one filled with water. There is a chance they might fall. Also, don't leave children who can't swim properly unsupervised.
Always supervise children near spas or hot tubs. Not only drowning, children can also be at risk of exposure to hot steam or hot water.
Try to teach your child to swim before the age of 8. Tell the children to check the water depth before entering or jumping into the pool. Also tell them not to jump into the pool if it is shallow.
Teach your child not to hold their breath for too long while underwater. This can cause fainting under water.
Get used to swimming with friends, don't swim alone.
