Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in children, especially during the summer months. It is a silent killer because a person drowning may not be able to call out for help. When a drowning person tries to call out, water enters his/her respiratory tract and may cause the airway to go into spasm. Children can lose consciousness underwater in two minutes. In four minutes, a child, underwater, can suffer irreversible brain damage. Even more scary is the fact that you could be watching your child and not even realize he/she is in distress. Experts say that the thrashing we see on TV is not a typical drowning response.
According to Mario Vittone, author of “Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning,” a drowning person may look like they are treading water. This is why so many children could potentially drown, or have drowned, with their parents watching. This doesn’t mean that a person yelling for help and thrashing isn’t really in trouble. Usually, a "thrasher" is able to assist in rescue efforts; a “true” drowning victim cannot.
If you spend any time in or near the water, then you must take note of “what drowning looks lilke.”
Dr. Frank A. Pia, Ph.D describes “The Instinctive Drowning Response” as follows:
Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006)
According to Vittone, here are a few other signs of drowning:
Head low in the water, mouth at water level
Head tilted back with mouth open
Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
Eyes closed
Hair over forehead or eyes
Hyperventilating or gasping
Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
Trying to roll over on the back
If you are unsure whether someone is drowning, it is better to be safe than sorry. Call out to the person; ask him/her if he/she is ok. If you receive no answer or a blank stare is returned, this person is probably in trouble. You may have 30 seconds or less to assist or call for help.
To decrease the risk of drowning, please, never swim alone. Swim only in areas attending by certified lifeguards. When swimming in the ocean, learn to escape rip currents by swimming parallel to the beach; don’t swim near boats. Parents: Most child drownings occur in your own, home, swimming pool. Do not leave children unattended. Teach your children how to swim; know how to swim yourself. This may be the most valuable learning experience of your life.
Mark Bello has thirty-three years experience as a trial lawyer and twelve years as an underwriter and situational analyst in the lawsuit funding industry. He is the owner and founder of Lawsuit Financial Corporation which helps provide cash flow solutions and consulting when necessities of life funding is needed during litigation. Bello is a Justice Pac member of the American Association for Justice, Sustaining and Justice Pac member of the Michigan Association for Justice, Business Associate of the Florida, Tennessee, and Colorado Associations for Justice, a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan and the Injury Board.
