Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning

[mamaofami]

This is an incredible article someone posted on the NCL board. AN excellent read for all adults.

 

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

[Roz]

Would it be possible to give a brief summary of the article? I don't click on links in posts as an anti-virus measure. Had some bad experiences.

 

Roz

[CruiserBruce]

The concept has been around for several years. What you might think looks like drowning...probably drawn from TV or movies...lots of flailing and splashing around yelling for help..is the exact opposite of what typically happens. Most founder with little noticeable action that stands out. They are just gone.

[bcd2010]

Would it be possible to give a brief summary of the article? I don't click on links in posts as an anti-virus measure. Had some bad experiences.

 

Roz

 

In summary, it doesn't look like what we've seen on TV/movies. The "Instinctive Drowning Response":

 

- 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.

Edited February 7, 2014 by bcd2010

[mamaofami]

Thank you, Barbara, for that summary.

[Roz]

Thank you, Barbara. Nice summary.

 

Asthma attacks are also a cause of drowning.

 

Roz

[pearliemae]

This is an incredible article someone posted on the NCL board. AN excellent read for all adults.

 

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

Thank you for posting this information.

[noblepa]

BCD2010, I realize you didn't want to quote the entire article, but I found the last sentence to sum it all up:

 

"And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why."

[lka1012]

And if you see someone you think is drowning, remember these words:

 

Reach -- Throw -- Row -- then GO!

 

And if you do go to someone who is drowning, be prepared to be able to get out of whatever hold they will use to grab on to you. You do not want to have two people drown. Sometimes the rescuer ends up drowning also.

Edited February 7, 2014 by lka1012
bad html

[sail7seas]

BCD2010, I realize you didn't want to quote the entire article, but I found the last sentence to sum it all up:

 

"And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why."

 

 

VERY good point but it isn't only children that drown.

 

Carol..... Thanks for posting this. Everyone should read it.

Great Summation, Barbara. Thank you.

 

Edited February 7, 2014 by sail7seas

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the link to the article.

Very good.

[Krazy Kruizers]

In summary, it doesn't look like what we've seen on TV/movies. The "Instinctive Drowning Response":

 

- 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.

 

Great view point.

[Typhoon1]

And if you see someone you think is drowning, remember these words:

 

Reach -- Throw -- Row -- then GO!

 

And if you do go to someone who is drowning, be prepared to be able to get out of whatever hold they will use to grab on to you. You do not want to have two people drown. Sometimes the rescuer ends up drowning also.

 

Excellent advice.

[mariner]

Correct. They basically freeze. But usually by the time you notice, it's too late. And youreally don't want to get close to one. They can drown you.

[regmcole]

Very very true. Such a sad event for those touched by the loss.

[mariner]

You are taught, if you have to get near one, to take them under water. That's your only hope.

[oo7 Bond!]

As some previously stated... Thanks for posting this reference. A good read!

[lka1012]

When I was taking Lifesaving all those many decades ago, one thing they drilled us on repeatedly was how to break a hold a drowning person may use. They drilled us over and over until these became automatic. Fast forward many years and I was in several different self-defense classes. They taught us many of these same breaks, and for me it was still automatic.

[Love the beach]

Thank you for this excellent article...I have passed it along to family & friends.

[alibabacruisers]

A lot of very good information to know. Thanks!

[mariner]

While teaching swimming many years ago, I was given a 14-year-old boy. I had him kicking while holding a board and he was doing good.

 

We ended up in the deep end of the pool. He stopped kicking for a moment and went to put a leg down. When it didn't hit bottom, he panicked.

 

This kid managed to get on my head and push me under. There's one sure way of making a boy feel pain, but since my head was in the way, that was out of the question.

 

One of the fellow instructors finally noticed what was happening and dived in and pulled me off. It got very close.

 

Panicked people in the water are very scary.

[cruiseapril]

There were two basic rules we followed when taking our young children swimming:

 

1. An adult ALWAYS swims with a young child. Then, silent drowning symptoms can be quickly observed.

 

2. Do not allow young children to stay in swimming for too long at one time. Many children tire easily or get chilled easily, as we parents know.

 

In terms of pools and ship's pools, our feeling is that caretakers should be in the water with their young children, not just watching them. And- the ship's rules need to be followed to a tee by all adults and children- rules about pools and about behavior on a ship.

 

We only wish that all passengers would follow the rules. The odds of any shipboard accident would decrease greatly.

[wander]

Really important the concept that not all potential drowning victims thrash about. I have had two very real experiences with such.

 

1. Sailing on a relatively calm lake in the 1950s - a sudden strong burst of wind took the sailboat over. My father and I were fine, but he notices that our guest was slowly sinking, doing nothing to "save" himself. My father pulled him to the surface and all turned out fine. However, had my father not noticed the man when he did he would have been too deep to rescue. Now perhaps things like a life vest should have been required - but it was not. The man, a good friend, had lived on a much more dangerous lake all his life, boated, etc. but that day we learned he had never learned to swim! A real unexpected lesson. (He said that he just peacefully had accepted his fate so did not struggle.) All ended well.

 

2. Sitting on a dock with friends, enjoying the sun and water. Suddenly one of the women sank to the bottom, mild signs of struggle but sinking. Now the water was only about 5 feet deep and she could have stood up, but she did not think about that so she just sank. We were able to pull her up within seconds and all was well, but again not real signs of trouble. She also could not swim, which the rest of us did not know. However, the water was not deep enough so that l never even thought about this potential problem.

 

As a teenager I had all my Red Cross water safety training but no one bother to tell us that some drowning victims just were peaceful and just sank, or if they did tell us that it certainly did not register.