Drowning occurs once being submerged in liquid leads to suffocation or disrupts with breathing. During drowning, the body is deprived of oxygen that can impair the organs, especially the lungs and the brain. This is the main reason of unintentional death around the globe especially among children and teenagers younger than 19.
Drowning is likely to occur in pools, natural water settings and hot tubs. Remember that toddlers and children are at risk even when near small amounts of water such as in bathtubs, toilets and pails of water since they could not escape after falling in. If an individual dive into shallow water, it can lead to head or spinal injuries that increases the risk for drowning.
What are the indications of drowning?
Individuals who are drowning and struggling to breathe could not call for help. Children who could not swim might submerge in less than a minute while adults can struggle longer.
Those who are rescued might have various symptoms. Some are mildly anxious while others are close to death. An individual might appear alert, drowsy or unconscious where some are not breathing. Individuals who are breathing can gasp for breath or even cough, vomit or start wheezing. The skin appears bluish which indicates inadequate oxygen in the blood. In some circumstances, respiratory issues might not become evident for several hours after submersion.
What are the possible complications?
Some individuals who were revived after extended submersion usually have permanent brain damage due to the lack of oxygen. Those who breathe in foreign particles might end up with secondary drowning with acute respiratory distress syndrome or aspiration pneumonia that causes prolonged difficulty breathing.
This breathing difficulty might not become severe or even evident until hours after being removed from the water. Those who drown in cold water often end up with hypothermia.
How is it diagnosed
The diagnosis of drowning is usually based on the events and the symptoms. The measurement of the level of oxygen in the blood and the chest X-rays can reveal the degree of lung damage. The body temperature is also checked for hypothermia.
Other tests such as X-rays and CT scans can be performed to diagnose head or spinal injuries. In some cases, an ECG and blood tests are also done to diagnose conditions that contributed to the drowning.