In moments of crisis, knowing how to perform CPR can be the difference between life and death, especially in drowning cases. Imagine being at the beach, a pool, or near any body of water when suddenly someone starts to struggle. That’s where CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, comes into play. It’s a set of simple yet lifesaving techniques that can help save a life.
Drowning incidents are more common than you might think. Every year, thousands of lives are lost due to drowning accidents, many of which could have been prevented with timely intervention. Whether it’s a child who wandered too close to a pool or a swimmer caught in a rip current, knowing how to administer CPR can make all the difference.
According to the Centre for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), about 10 people die every day in the United States from drowning. Drowning is the fifth leading cause of accidental death in the country. 20 percent of these deaths are children under 15 years old, with kids aged 1-4 having the highest drowning rates. Among those who survive, half face serious issues like memory problems, learning disabilities, and sometimes permanent brain damage.
In this article, we’ll learn the important steps for doing CPR on a drowning victim. Knowing these steps well can help you save lives around you.
What Causes Drowning?
Drowning occurs when water enters the lungs from being in or below the water, causing suffocation and death. The two main ways this happens are:
- Involuntary breath: A person takes a breath and brings water into their airway, which closes it
- Panicking: The body starts to panic and takes in water
Drowning can be quick and silent. The average person can last between one and three minutes before falling unconscious and around ten minutes before dying.
Drowning deprives the body of oxygen, which can damage organs, particularly the brain. Doctors evaluate people for oxygen deprivation and other problems that often accompany drowning.
Children younger than 4 years and adolescents aged 15-19 years are at the highest risk of drowning. Most toddlers drown in swimming pools and bathtubs, whereas most adolescents drown in natural bodies of water.
How To Detect a Drowning Victim
Imagine you’re at the lake with your loved ones, having a great time. Suddenly, you notice one of your friends lying still in the water. You might think they’re just relaxing or playing, but this could actually be a sign of drowning.
Unlike what we see in movies, drowning victims often can’t call out for help or splash around. This is especially true for children. It’s important to recognize the signs of drowning so you can act quickly to help.
Take a moment to read the following signs that someone may be drowning:
- Movement: The person may be upright in the water, not using their legs, or appear to be climbing an invisible ladder
- Breathing: The person may be hyperventilating, gasping, or coughing
- Eyes: The person’s eyes may be closed, glassy, or unable to focus
- Head: The person’s head may be low in the water, tilted back, or their mouth may be open
- Hair: The person’s hair may be over their forehead or eyes
- Swimming: The person may be trying to swim in a particular direction but not making progress, or their swimming motions may be uneven
- Silence: The person may be silent and not flailing or splashing around
- Assistance: The person may not be able to call out for help
Other signs of drowning include: Difficulty moving or treading water, Struggling to keep their head above water, Pressing their arms against their sides, Skin turning blue, and Loss of consciousness.
Drowning can happen to anyone, regardless of age or swimming ability. Victims may only be able to struggle on the surface of the water for 20–60 seconds before drowning, so it’s important to locate them quickly.
Now, let’s discuss how to perform CPR for drowning victims.
What Happens To Someone Who Is Drowning?
When someone is underwater for too long, they might drown because they can’t breathe. In the beginning, their body tries to stop more water from going into their lungs by closing their airway.
This makes them hold their breath without meaning to, and they might pass out. If they don’t get CPR to help them breathe again, they might develop a problem called Hypoxia, where their cells don’t get enough oxygen.
Without oxygen, their organs start to fail, and they could have a heart attack.
CPR Steps For Drowning Victims
If someone has been rescued from drowning, it’s really important to help them right away so they have the best chance of surviving. The first thing you should do is call for emergency help so they can be taken to the hospital. But if you can’t call for help, you can still try to save them by performing CPR. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Assess the Scene
Before helping a drowning victim, ensure the area is safe. Look for any potential dangers, like strong currents or unstable surfaces, that could harm you or the victim.
If the scene isn’t secure, don’t approach. Your safety is vital for effective assistance. If it’s safe, proceed with caution.
2. Tilt Their Head Back
When helping a drowning victim, lay them on their back on a flat surface. Make sure their head is tilted back slightly to open the airway. This helps the victim breathe better. It’s crucial for their survival.
Clear any objects from around them to prevent injury. This position also helps you assess their breathing and perform CPR effectively. If they’re lying face down, gently roll them onto their back, supporting their head and neck in case of a spinal injury.
Then, start checking for signs of breathing and responsiveness.
3. Give 5 Rescue Breaths
When someone has drowned, they need extra help getting oxygen into their body. That’s the big difference between normal CPR and CPR for drowning. The first thing you do is give them 5 big breaths, called rescue breathing.
It’s not too hard. Just pinch their nose and blow into their mouth 5 times quickly. Do it within 10 seconds. Watch their chest. If it puffs up or moves, you’re doing it right and can move on to the next step.
4. Perform Chest Compressions
Chest compressions are the main part of CPR that we often think about. To do this, you place the heel of your hand on the center of the victim’s chest, between the nipples. Then, you press down firmly and rapidly, using your body weight, to compress the chest at least 2 inches deep.
It’s important to allow the chest to fully recoil between compressions. You should aim for a rate of about 100-120 compressions per minute.
These compressions help circulate blood through the body, which is crucial for keeping vital organs, like the brain, supplied with oxygen until help arrives.
5. Use an AED (if available)
If there’s an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) available, turn it on and follow its instructions. Apply the pads to the person’s chest as shown on the AED. It will analyze the person’s heart rhythm.
If it advises giving a shock, make sure no one is touching the person, then press the shock button as directed. After delivering the shock, resume CPR starting with chest compressions.
The AED will guide you through the process step by step. It’s crucial to follow its instructions carefully as it can help restore the person’s normal heart rhythm and improve their chances of survival.
6. Continue Until Help Arrives
If the person who was drowning is still not waking up or breathing on their own, keep doing the chest compressions and breathing for them until the paramedics arrive. Your job is to keep them alive until the professionals can help.
When someone doesn’t get enough blood flow, especially to their brain, it can be really dangerous. So, by doing CPR, you’re making sure their blood keeps moving around their body. If you start feeling tired, ask someone else nearby to take over and keep doing CPR.
Important Consideration
Remember, when someone has drowned, they might need CPR for a long time because the water could be very cold, and its effects can take time to show up. Keep doing CPR without stopping until the experts come or the person starts getting better.
Drowning accidents happen fast, so it’s vital to act quickly and properly. Learning how to do CPR on someone who’s drowned is really important and can save lives.
By following these steps and starting CPR right away, you give the person the best chance of surviving. If you want to learn CPR, consider taking a first aid class. They teach you CPR in more detail.
Is CPR For Drowning Different?
When someone drowns, giving CPR might not seem any different from CPR for other reasons. But it’s important to use mouth-to-mouth CPR, not just chest compressions. That’s because when drowning causes a person’s heart to stop, they need rescue breaths to bring them back.
The European Resuscitation Council says most drowning victims suffer a heart attack because they couldn’t breathe. For them, just doing chest compressions probably won’t work, so it’s better to avoid it.
Conclusion
Performing CPR on a drowning victim can be crucial in saving their life. By following the simple steps outlined, you can make a big difference in an emergency situation. Remember to assess the scene for safety, call for help, and act quickly. With proper training and awareness, anyone can be prepared to respond effectively. Don’t hesitate to perform CPR—it can mean the difference between life and death. Being ready to act can save lives, and your quick response could be the lifeline that someone desperately needs in a moment of crisis.
