How Do You Know If Someone Is Drowning?

posted in: Pool Safety Tips | 0

Anyone, whether a child or an adult, can be a victim of drowning. Drowning can be a result of unsupervised toddlers falling in a pool, being dragged under due to strong water current, or simply by not having sufficient swimming skills. Such incidents can affect families in a dramatic way. Drowning can result in severe brain damage or physical injuries and even death. Considering what could happen, it is essential that proper safety measures be taken at all times, especially if there are kids swimming. But how will you know if someone is drowning?

In an article published at Slate(dot)com, “drowning doesn’t look like drowning.” It’s different from what we see in movies. This is so important to understand. The ‘tell-tale’ signs can be very subtle, if you do not know what you are looking for. In fact, there is almost no splashing or screaming for help; it’s not what we expect most of the time.

As cited by Coast Guard’s On Scene magazine, here are some signs that will assist in determining if a person is drowning:

  • A drowning person’s head is tilted back, the mouth is not above the surface of the water, and alternately sinks, making it hard to breathe.
  • Since there is a difficulty of breathing, it’s almost impossible to call and wave for help.
  • A drowning person finds it hard to swim in a particular direction since he or she will not be able to control any arm movements.
  • Usually, the body will be in an upright position and the drowning person will find it hard to use his or her legs and “appears to be climbing an invisible ladder.”
  • A drowning person has only 20 to 60 seconds of struggle and for someone to notice before the body will submerge.

Swimming is a fun activity enjoyed by families. Unfortunately, this favorite pastime could also be the reason for accidental deaths. Safety precautions should be taken at all times to stop such accidents from happening. That is why we at Life Saver Pool Fence have worked so tirelessly to prevent drowning by creating products that proactively prevent incidents and keep families safer with peace of mind. Parents on Long Island, NY: If you have any questions about prevention measure you can take, please reach out to us at anytime.

Original article can be found here:

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top