| Subject | Contents |
| Definition | Near drowning is suffocation from being submerged in water or other fluid. |
| Alternative Names | Drowning - near |
| Considerations | In the United States, drowning claims between 6,000 to 8,000 lives annually. All near-drowning victims should be checked by a doctor. Even though victims may revive quickly at the scene, lung complications are common. A person who is drowning usually can't shout for help, so it's important to be alert for signs of drowning. Most drownings occur within a short distance of safety. Suspect an accident if you see someone in the water fully clothed. Watch for uneven swimming motions, which indicate a swimmer is getting tired. Often the body sinks, and only the head shows above the water. In a near-drowning emergency, immediate action and first aid can prevent death. It may be possible to revive a drowning victim even after a prolonged period of submersion, especially if the victim was in very cold water. Children can drown in only a few inches of water. |
| Causes | Near-drowning commonly results from inadequate supervision of small children around bathtubs and pools, alcohol use while boating or swimming, inability to swim, panic while swimming, falling through thin ice, blows to the head or seizures while in the water, and attempted suicide . Bodily harm from near-drowning is caused primarily by lack of oxygen to the brain, as well as direct lung injury. |
| Symptoms | Symptoms can vary, but may include:Abdominal distentionBluish skin of the face, especially around the lips Cold skin and pale appearanceConfusionCough with pink, frothy sputum Irritability LethargyNo breathingRestlessness Shallow or gasping respirations Chest painUnconsciousnessVomiting |
| First Aid | When someone is drowning, get help immediately, but do not place yourself in danger. Do not get into the water or go out onto ice unless your own safety can be assured. Rescue options may include extending a long pole or branch to the victim, or using a throw rope attached to a buoyant object, such as a life ring or life jacket. Toss it to the floundering person, then pull him or her to shore.
Keep in mind that victims who have fallen through the ice become hypothermic very rapidly and may not be able to grasp objects within their reach or hold on while being pulled to safety.
If a person is still floundering in the water and you are appropriately trained to attempt rescue yourself, do so immediately if conditions do not pose undue risk to your own safety.
If there is any likelihood of spinal injury, care must be taken to stabilize the victim's head and neck at all times during the rescue and resuscitation. If the victim's breathing has stopped, begin rescue breaths as soon as you safely can. This often means starting the breathing process while still in the water. Continue to breathe for the person every few seconds while moving them to shore. Once on land, check for a pulse (or other signs of circulation, such as spontaneous breathing, coughing, or movement) and administer CPR '>CPR if needed. For step-by-step instructions on rescue breathing, see CPR '>CPR and rescue breathing first aid. The Heimlich maneuver should not be used routinely in the rescue of near-drowning victims. It should be used only if the airway is blocked with debris or vomit, and you are unable to successfully ventilate the victim (unable to get air into the the lungs with proper rescue breaths). Since most drowning victims do not breathe in large quantities of water, immediate rescue breaths are effective without first draining the lungs. Furthermore, performing the Heimlich maneuver unnecessarily may increase the chances that an unconscious victim will vomit, and subsequently choke on the vomitus. Always use caution when moving a drowning victim. Always assume that the victim may have a neck or spine injury, and avoid turning or bending the neck. Take appropriate steps to immobilize the head and neck during resuscitation and transport. Either tape it to a backboard or stretcher, or secure the neck by placing rolled towels or other objects around it. It is important to keep the victim calm and to keep them immobilized. Seek medical help immediately. In order to prevent hypothermia , remove any cold, wet clothes from the victim and cover him with something warm, if possible. Once the victim is stabilized, administer first aid for any other serious injuries. As the victim revives, he may cough and experience difficulty breathing . Calm and reassure the victim until you get medical help. All near-drowning victims should be seen by a health care provider. Even though victims may revive quickly at the scene, lung complications are common. |
| Do Not | DO NOT go out on the ice to rescue a drowning person that you can reach with your arm or an extended object. DO NOT assume that a victim cannot or should not be helped -- call for emergency assistance immediately. DO NOT attempt a swimming rescue yourself unless you are trained in water rescue. DO NOT go into rough or turbulent water that may endanger you. |
| Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if | If you cannot rescue the drowning person without endangering yourself, call for emergency medical assistance immediately. If you are trained and able to rescue the person, do so and then call for medical help. |
| Prevention | Avoid drinking alcohol whenever swimming or boating. Observe water safety rules. Take a water safety course. Never allow children to swim alone or unsupervised regardless of their ability to swim. Never leave children alone for any period of time, or let them leave your line of sight around any pool or body of water. Drownings have occurred when parents left "for just a minute" to answer the phone or door. Drowning can occur in any container of water. Do not leave any standing water (in empty basins, buckets, ice chests, kiddy pools, or bathtubs). Secure the toilet seat cover with a child safety device. Fence all pools and spas. Secure all the doors to the outside, and install pool and door alarms. If your child is missing, check the pool immediately. |
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