Accidental Drowning the Pros of Learning First aid Treatment
Drowning happens when a person submerges underwater (or any other liquid)—is not able to hold their breath—and water rushes into the respiratory system, causing impairments.

Drowning happens slowly and silently so bystanders may not notice a victim in need of help.

The World Health Organization refers to drowning as what happens when a person is immersed or submerged in a liquid. If the person drowns and first aid treatment is NOT issued immediately, the result can be severe injuries to the respiratory system or loss of life.

As stated above, drowning can occur silently and the victim may not be able to call for help. Often, the victim tries to keep their head above water, breath, and maybe talk simultaneously, which makes speaking almost impossible.

In the struggle, water can reach the vocal cords and make it difficult to shout for help. If no help is issued, most of the time, the body is found floating on water.

How Frequent Are Drowning Accidents?

Drowning cases are common during warm weather and among those who frequent natural water sources and pools.

When a victim drowns, initially, they try to hold their breath. If this happens for a long time, the result can be low oxygen levels— and eventually, loss of consciousness.

Drowning is a serious issue affecting people from all walks of life. According to WHO, in 2015 the world recorded around 4.5 million accidental or unintentional drowning cases.

Other findings from the study show:

  • More than 320,000 of those incidents led to the loss of lives. That death rate placed drowning as the third cause of unintentional death in the world.
  • The research also showed that around 56,000 drowning-related deaths affected children below five years.
  • Lastly, the study concluded that drowning leads to about 7% of fatalities globally, and 90% of those deaths happen in developing countries. The study also found males and young people are more prone to death by drowning than females.

Increased drowning accidents

This article will discuss the most common causes of drowning and the measures to prevent such accidents.

We will also try to address all facts associated with drowning by looking into past research. In the end, we will discuss how learning first aid treatment can save victims of drowning.
What Risk Factors Expose One to Drowning?
Though anyone can be a victim, several risk factors can expose a victim to drowning. Some of these most common risk factors include.
1.      Age
According to the Global report on drowning 2014, age is one of the factors that put people at the risk of drowning. The main cause of fatalities amongst people of age and young ones is the lack of supervision, which leads to drowning.

The report showed that children in the age bracket of 1 and 4 years are at the highest risk of drowning.

In general, the world health organization concluded that, in the pacific region, children between the age of five and fourteen die more due to drowning than anything else.

Other studies show that fatalities among children are on the rise across the world. For instance, in Australia, drowning fatalities are one of the primary causes of accidental death in children between one and fourteen.

In Bangladesh, 43 percent of all child-related deaths in one to four-year kids are caused by drowning. Elsewhere, in China, children under the age of fourteen are at a high risk of losing their lives due to drowning. Statistics show drowning is the leading cause of injuries that lead to loss of life.

And that’s not all, in the United States of America, statistics show children under the age of fourteen years die due to drowning injuries. For that reason, drowning is the second most leading cause of death among young teens.
2.      Gender
On to the mortality rate between genders; males are twice more likely to drown than females. The chances of males being hospitalized for non-fatal drowning are usually minimal.

Several studies show that men are at a higher risk of death due to drowning due to several reasons. Males tend to increase their drowning risks because of some behaviors, such as demanding to swim alone.

Others drink alcoholic beverages before they go swimming or boating. Even worse, some men have a big ego that prevents them from asking for help. In the effort to save themselves, many end up drowning
3.    
If you live close to or frequent water bodies, you are at a higher risk of drowning. Individuals who do commercial fishing with tiny boats are at a very high risk of drowning since high tides can quickly capsize a boat. Such cases are common in developing countries.

Even the children in those developing nations are at a very high risk of accidental drowning if they live near open water sources. Places such as ponds, lakes, irrigation channels, and ditches put the young ones in danger of drowning when playing or swimming.
4.     Floods
Among the fatalities caused by floods, 75% are drowning incidents. In places that face heavy downfall and have inadequate drainage systems, drowning is likely to happen due to flash floods.

Developing countries face an uphill task trying to deal with such events. Poor infrastructure and a lack of preparedness make controlling floods a complicated task.

They also lack the resources they need to evacuate victims and train people on first aid treatment; thus, deaths caused by drowning continue to increase.
5.     When traveling across masses of water
Water trips involving faulty transport vessels and overloading increase the risk of drowning. This often happens to asylum seekers or migrants crossing large water bodies in overcrowded ships.

Generally, these vessels are handled by untrained people who do not know much about navigation.

They are also unable to help or advise travelers in case of an emergency. In some cases, the staffs are usually under the influence of drugs. Such factors increase the chances of mistakes and lead to mass drowning.
6.     Other risk factors
The following risk factors may also expose one to drowning:

  • When an infant is left with another child near a water body unsupervised, they are both at risk of drowning.
  • People with medical conditions such as epilepsy can drown when they get a medical emergency while swimming.
  • When an adult uses drugs such as alcohol or other hard drugs near or in water, they are likely to drown.
  • Tourists are also prone to drowning. No matter how good one is at swimming, they may easily drown in foreign waters.

That concludes the list of primary causes of drowning amongst people.

Special care should be taken to prevent such occurrences from happening. Beyond first aid treatment, this article will also address the preventative measures one can take to reduce the likelihood of drowning.

Safety Precautions for Accidental Drowning
Drowning happens when a person submerges underwater, is not able to hold their breath, and water rushes into the respiratory system, causing impairments. But you can follow some safety measures to reduce drowning cases.

Below are some of the measures to avoid drowning-related deaths.
1.       Register for CPR certification

Taking first aid treatment and CPR training can help to reduce drowning fatalities. During drowning, the victim asphyxiates, so CPR is administered to help them breathe again.

After CPR training, one becomes more confident when dealing with emergencies. Also, swimmers can feel more secure knowing they have a lifesaver on their team.
2.     Supervise kids, old people and newbie swimmers
Caregivers and parents must understand that children should never be left alone near a pool or any natural source of water. Even swimming pools must be guarded.

Experts must supervise every activity within and around the pool. The supervisor should particularly be keen on children and people of age.
3.     Teach people how to swim
Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics found out that children over the age of four years can learn how to swim. Training should not be a substitute for supervision care. Children should always receive supervision as they swim.
4.      Avoid abusing alcohol and other drugs
Consumption of alcohol or any other drug that impairs judgments can be a risk factor. Avoid drugs when swimming, boating, or supervising other swimmers, especially children.
5.      Fence water bodies
All water bodies should be fenced adequately to prevent unsupervised or unauthorized entry. The fence help prevention cases of drowning among adults and children alike. A barrier such as a wall can help in restricting access to the water body.
6.     Install Panic Alarms
Alarms should be installed in easy-to-access to speedy alerts in case of an emergency. It is advisable to install some alarms inside the pool so that a drowning person raises the alarm and gets help.

However, pool supervisors should note that the alarms are a secondary measure and should not be substituted by active supervision.
7.     Toys should be in the right place, not in the water!
Parents and caregivers should not leave toys in the water. A child trying to reach a toy can easily drown.
8.     Paying attention to pool drains
Parents should not allow their children to play or even sit near a pool drain. A child’s body parts, such as hair or clothes, can be trapped during water suction. All drains should have drain covers.
9.     Put on life jackets
Children and adults alike should wear flotation jackets when they are fishing or boating for fun. This life-saver helps one to float in water — while they wait for emergency response.
10. Always stay in the safety zones
It is advisable to keep off restricted zones. People should also be on the lookout for warning signs. Parents should not allow their children to swim in abandoned waters or other areas that are not fit for swimming.

Those are just a few of the many preventive measures one should follow to avoid drowning. These measures are simple ways to keep oneself or others safe from death due to accidental drowning.
14 interesting Facts about Drowning
Now that you know how to stay safe, let’s highlight more facts about drowning to help you understand the importance of learning first aid treatment.
1.    Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional deaths
According to US research, drowning causes between 3500 and 4000 deaths every year. Most of these cases occur among children between the ages of one to four years.

The research indicated that drowning is one of the top causes of death to people below the age of 54 years.

The average death rate as a result of drowning in a day remains as high as ten people. In addition to that, the Center for Disease Control indicates that over 9000 people go to health facilities seeking treatments as a result of drowning injuries every year.
2.     A large number of child deaths occur during family gatherings.
The same study also reported that, out of all the deaths caused by drowning, 23% occur during a family gathering. Parents should be cautious when hosting events near a pool—and have someone supervise their children.
3.    Lack of barriers in water bodies leads to the majority of drowning
All water bodies that are either public or private should be fenced to reduce the chances of drowning. Often, children will be tempted to swim or play in such areas. Sometimes accidents happen and lead to drowning. Barriers are crucial in keeping people in such places.
4.     Swimming lessons to children helps to reduce the rate of drowning
Training children below four years of age to swim can significantly reduce their chances of drowning by an entire 88 percent. Lessons can help them save themselves in case of an accidental drowning event.
5.     Any person can drown
Anyone, trained or untrained, adult or child, can be at risk of drowning. It does not discriminate based on race or even religion.
6.     Drugs and alcohol are contributors to drowning
The abuse of drugs and alcohol can lead to loss of impairs, increasing the risk of falling asleep in the water. Death and drowning injuries are likely to happen under such conditions.
7.     Majority of boating fatalities are caused by drowning
Drowning is the leading cause of death among those who love boating activities. Special care must be taken during such activities. Everyone must be equipped with life-saving devices such as life jackets. Furthermore, they should undergo appropriate training in swimming.
8.     For every single drowning fatality, 5 to 10 other victims seek medical attention for drowning injuries

Research shows that for every one death caused by drowning, another 5 to 10 people seek medical care for nonfatal drowning injuries.
9.    Drowning can happen quickly and silently
When someone is drowning, signs rarely show. It occurs quietly and very fast, in as little as 20 to 60 seconds. That’s why life-savers must respond swiftly to such cases.
10. Freshwater and saltwater drown a victim differently
Statistics show that about 90% of all drowning cases that were recorded occurred in a freshwater environment.

When freshwater is inhaled to the lungs, it passes through the bloodstream due to its rich oxygen content. It then dilutes the blood and can lead to multiple organ failures and trigger faster death.

On the other hand, salty water contains salt ions that are more than what is in the blood. When inhaled, the body tries to regulate the salt by sending water to the lungs; this makes the blood thicker.

In freshwater drowning, it takes less than three minutes for fatality, while saltwater takes between 8 to 10 minutes to cause death.
11. Drowning looks different in real life and films.
Films misrepresent drowning. That is to say, in cinema, a person will be seen to have taken longer when underwater, and when he or she is rescued, breathing is restored. In real life, the possibility of a loss of life—if one is not saved—happens sooner.
12. Minority groups drown more often
It should be noted that accidents due to drowning occur indiscriminately, but it often affects people of a particular class. Almost 80% of all deaths caused by drowning affect males.

According to a CDC report, more children from minority groups die due to drowning than from majority groups. It is nearly three deaths of a minority per one death of the majority.
13. One does not need a lot of water to drown
It is contrary to people’s beliefs that one must be underneath water for some time to drown.

Drowning can be caused by a small water volume provided your head is facing downward in that liquid or water. And the result can be loss of life.
14. Children are likely to drown in buckets, toilets & baths

Parents and caregivers should protect children from such instances. Leaving a bucket of water near a child can lead to drowning. Guardians should ensure toilet and bathroom doors are closed at all times, and buckets are left empty.

These are just a few of many facts that people must understand about drowning. Many widespread beliefs worldwide can be misleading. Care must be taken when searching for information on how to deal with drowning eventuality.
First Aid Treatment and CPR Training Can Help Save More Drowning Victims
One of the best ways to understand drowning is to take a first-aid training course. Knowledge in drowning and CPR can help save many lives.

First aid treatment and CPR certification courses are now a hassle-free process you can do online (or over the internet) from the comfort of your home as long as you have a mobile gadget or PC (personal computer) and access to the internet.

For instance, the American Academy of CPR & First Aid, offers an online certification course that you can accomplish in less than an hour. This reputable platform has prepared reasonably-priced courses for people looking for Basic life support skills.

But affordability is not the limit for The American Academy of CPR; you can now take a free course and earn a CPR certification!

All you have to do is visit their official CPR website, view summarized course content, and take an examination. All these can occur in less than an hour. Therefore, one must not wait longer to get an online certificate or renew what they already have.

All participants who pass will get an online First-Aid wallet card and printable card, which they can use right away. With the printable card ready, you can prove that you have undertaken a cardiopulmonary resuscitation course as your wallet card processes.

Here are more benefits of a CPR and First-Aid course.
1.     One is capable of identifying swimmers in distress.

Water accidents or emergencies often happen very fast, with minimal or no noise. First aid treatment training can help one identify such an event of distress.
2.    Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation can be taught
When one registers for first aid training, they learn CPR as a core unit. It is an invaluable technique useful in saving the lives of drowning victims. When a person drowns, they may fall unconscious, and the CPR technique is applied to help revive them.
3.     Training can help one to save a life

After CPR training, one becomes more confident when dealing with emergencies. Also, swimmers can feel more secure knowing they have a knowledgeable member of their team.
Learn First Aid Treatment and Save more Drowning Victims
Parents and caregivers must be at the forefront of reducing child deaths by offering the best care possible. Swimmers should also be encouraged to take CPR and first aid training to help save more lives.