What is Near Drowning?

• Near Drowning, by definition, is a condition when the affected individual nearly drowned in water (or liquid) but survived the incident for a period of 24 hours or more. This condition is commonly reported in young children and young adults
• Following the incident, urgent medical care and support must be provided to the victim, to ensure complete recovery and avoid associated complications, since the body may have been without oxygen for a certain period of time

What are the Causes of Near Drowning?

Near Drowning may be caused due to the following:

• Falling accidentally into water (seas, lakes, rivers, or swimming pools) and panicking
• Intentional drowning (suicide attempts)
• Individuals, who are trying to learn to swim, moving to the deeper end of a swimming pool or lake
• Individuals who are swimming or participating in water sports meeting with accidents
• Having a medical condition such as heart attack, seizure, or an allergic reaction, while swimming on water or on a boat
• Drinking alcohol and attempting to play in water or swim
• Children and babies who have been left unattended near water bodies; the incident can also take place in bathrooms (bathtubs, buckets), baby pools, fountains, etc.
• Walking on thin ice and falling into the waters below

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Near Drowning?

The signs and symptoms of Near Drowning include:

• Difficulty breathing; noisy breathing
• Chest pain and cough
• Face, lips, and skin turning blue; cold skin
• Swollen abdomen from swallowing water
• Vomiting
• Neurological symptoms including confusion, irritability, restlessness, become panicky
• Infants may have a weak cry, noisy breathing, breathing difficulty, and changes in skin color
• Loss of consciousness, fainting

How is First Aid administered for Near Drowning?

First aid tips for Near Drowning:

• Call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately
• If the individual is still in water, and:
  • If you have received adequate training on rescuing individuals who are drowning, then try to rescue the affected individual as soon as possible
  • If available, use life jackets, rubber rings, or rope (with a float) to help the drowning victim
  • If the individual who is drowning can be safely pulled out, attempt to remove the individual (such as by using a long piece of cloth, pole, or a tree branch)
  • If a small boat is available, try to tow the drowning victim to the shore by rowing alongside; trying to pull the individual into the boat may cause it to capsize
  • Do not walk on ice to rescue someone who’s fallen in through ice into the waters below
• If the individual is unable to breathe or is not breathing, check the pulse and then begin CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) with chest compressions if you are trained to do so
• Keep the head and neck of the individual properly supported using towels or other suitable materials (props)
• Avoid unnecessarily moving or turning their neck/head, since there is a risk for neck injuries from near drowning that may get aggravated
• Attend to any injuries, bleeding from wounds, remove wet (cold) clothes, and keep the individual warm using blankets to prevent hypothermia, which can be a medical emergency. It is important to keep the individual’s neck supported while removing wet or constrictive clothing
• Take the individual to emergency room (ER) for treatment
• The healthcare professional may undertake various tests and exams, such as chest scans, complete blood count, arterial blood gas analysis, and blood culture, to ascertain the extent of injury from near drowning

Note: If you are not trained adequately in swimming, avoid jumping into the water to pull the drowning individual to safety. However, use other methods to rescue the individual, or seek immediate help.

Who should administer First Aid for Near Drowning?

Any person near the affected individual should administer First Aid immediately. All Near Drowning cases should be evaluated by a qualified medical professional, as early as possible.

What is the Prognosis of Near Drowning?

• The prognosis of Near Drowning is dependent on how quickly the individual was rescued from water and breathing support provided or breathing revived, since an obstruction for extended periods will result in a reduced oxygen supply to the brain
• Individuals, who have been severely affected may show complications including pneumonia, respiratory distress, and brain damage that may even be permanent. In children, this may lead to a guarded prognosis
• If the individual can recover well within the next 24 hours, then the outcome is generally encouraging

How can Near Drowning be Prevented?

Near Drowning may be prevented by the following measures:

• Keep small children away from waterbodies; or supervise them appropriately when they are in water (such as near pools, in bathtubs, etc.); also, keep toilet bowls down after use if there are small children in the house
• Avoid entering waterbodies when in an inebriated state, if you are having any underlying disorder, or are prone to seizures
• Avoid walking on thin ice (over waterbodies)
• Observe pool safety regulations; avoid running around pool edges if you do not know how to swim
• Fence pool areas suitably and set time limits for use of the same
• Always ensure adult supervision when children are in water/pool
• Ensure that basic safety personnel and equipment/gear is available nearby, in case of an accident near swimming pools, on beaches, etc.
• During heavy rains and floods, avoid wading or driving through flooded roads, particularly so when the road surface is not visible
• Education and increased parental awareness of drowning risk (particularly involving toddlers and young children)

Note: Individuals, who are drowning cannot generally shout for help. They may be seen to be making random moves on water, submerging and appearing, or flailing their arms. It is important to remember that just a few inches of water can also cause drowning situations.

What are certain Crucial Steps to be followed?

• Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately
• DO NOT enter water to rescue the drowning individual, if you are NOT adequately trained to do so
• Even if the individual remains under water for a long period of time, it may be still possible to revive them. It is thus important to perform CPR to try and resuscitate the affected individual