Information that can help prevent brain injury or death from drowning.
While the risk of your child suffering a drowning accident is low, nonetheless you need to be prepared to identify the signs of drowning and prevent resulting brain injury or death. The following information can help.
Understanding the Instinctive Drowning Response
In real life, drowning is a still and silent affair. It looks nothing like you might imagine from representations on TV and in movies. The reason is that when an individual is struggling for breath, the Instinctive Drowning Response kicks in and they are actually unable to indicate they need help. Here’s why:
- The focus is on breathing: During a drowning or near-drowning, a person’s body is totally and instinctively focused on drawing air. Any time their mouth breaks the surface of the water they will be focused on breathing and actually physiologically unable to call out for help.
- The arms instinctively press down: Drowning people cannot wave their arms above the water to communicate their distress. Again, instincts taken over completely, forcing the person to move their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface to try to push their body up and get their head above the water. In the midst of drowning, individuals cannot even move towards a rescuer or a flotation device on their own.
- The legs do nothing: The instinctive response to drowning is all about the arms. The legs typically do not kick and the body remains upright in the water. This position may be maintained for 20 to 60 seconds before the person sinks below the surface of the water.
Understanding Shallow Water Blackout
Swimmers should avoid pushing themselves to the limit when holding their breath underwater. This can result in a condition called shallow water blackout. Taking rapid breaths in preparation for a long underwater swim causes blood carbon dioxide levels to plunge. Normally, rising carbon dioxide levels trigger the need to take a breath. But if levels start out too depleted, they may not rise quickly enough to let the swimmer know that they need to breathe. They may faint underwater. If this happens, drowning is very likely.
Understanding Secondary Drowning
When water is inhaled, it can fill up pores in the lungs and reduce an individual’s ability to get enough oxygen into their bloodstream. This drop in blood oxygen levels can cause brain damage or even death hours after the person left the water. It is very important to understand the common signs of secondary drowning:
- Lethargy or extreme fatigue
- Breathing problems
- Chest pain
- Persistent cough
- Vomiting after leaving the water
Anyone presenting such symptoms after swimming should be taken to a hospital immediately.
Understanding Drowning Accident Claims
If your child has suffered brain injury or death due to a drowning accident and another party was at fault for the accident, you could be entitled to compensation. To learn more, contact the Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn for a free consultation.
