First Aid for Drowning

Drowning is the fourth leading cause of accidental death. Each year, over 4,000 people drown and about one-third of them are children under 14 years of age.

It takes very little water for a child to drown. In fact, as little as two inches of water in a bathtub, sink or shower can kill a toddler. Toilet bowls are unsafe, too, if a small child falls into one head first.

Adults drown under different conditions. When the weather is hot, for example, adults are tempted to cool off with alcoholic beverages while swimming and boating. This is not a good idea. Alcohol interferes with good judgement and is a major factor in among adults drownings.

Causes of Drowning

• Leg or stomach cramps
• Loss of consciousness
• Playing in water too deep and too rough for one's ability to swim
• Not knowing how to swim
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Falling through the ice while fishing, skating or snowmobiling during the winter
• Not wearing life preservers

Prevention

To prevent a child from drowning:

• Never leave a child alone near water, swimming pools or any large container of water.
• Never turn away from an infant in a baby bathtub or one sitting in a bathtub "supporting ring". A child could drown or get seriously injured in the seconds it takes to answer a phone or go to the door.
• Teach your child to swim. Classes for children as young as six months teach them how to kick so if they fall in the water, they can break through the water surface.
• Tell your children never to swim alone and never to swim too far from shore without the company of an experienced adult swimmer.
• Warn your children to always check the depth of water before diving in.
• Build a secure fence around your swimming pool and install self-closing and self-latching gates. Make sure the gates are always locked.
• Make sure neighbors also have high fences with locked gates around their pools.
• Consider using a cordless phone out-of-doors so you can call 911 right away in the event of emergency.
• Keep young children out of the bathroom unless supervised by an adult. Put child-proof handles on door knobs, if necessary.
• Take cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and water safety courses.

To prevent an adult from drowning:

• Swim, when possible, in sight of a lifeguard.
• Never swim alone at the beach or in a swimming pool. Someone should be nearby in case you suffer a leg cramp or other potential emergency.
• Never swim alone in unknown waters.
• Never sit alone in a hot tub. And, do not immerse yourself in a hot tub if you've had any alcoholic drinks. You could fall asleep in the warm, relaxing water, slip under the surface and drown.
• Learn to swim. Take classes at your local YMCA or in adult education programs offered at city schools.
• If you can't swim, always wear a personal flotation device when you enter a lake, a pool or ride in a boat.
• Always check the depth of the water before diving. It should be at least 9 feet deep.
• Take a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and water safety course.

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