After a Near-Drowning (Submersion Injury) Experience: How to Care for Your Child

Drowning, also known as submersion injury, is a common cause of injury and death in children. It can be prevented by practicing water safety in and out of the home.

Our bodies need oxygen from the air to survive. When a child's nose and mouth are under water for too long, air is blocked from getting into the lungs and sometimes water can fill the lungs. When this happens, oxygen cannot get into the body. This may lead to problems with the lungs, heart, brain, and other organs. If a child is not rescued soon enough, these problems may lead to death.

Drowning can happen in less than 1 inch of water. Young children, kids with seizure disorders, kids who don't know how to swim, and kids who swim without proper supervision are at higher risk of drowning.

Your child was rescued before serious problems developed. The medical team in the ER checked your child and made sure everything was OK before sending your child home.

In rare instances, a person who has nearly drowned may develop breathing problems a day or two later. Recognizing these problems early can help your child receive care quickly and get better. It will be important to watch over your child for the next few days in case problems develop.

• Your child should take it easy for the next 24 hours.

• A responsible adult should be watching your child around-the-clock for the next 48 hours.

• Make sure any adults caring for your child over the next few days know to seek medical care for cough, fever, heavy or fast breathing, or chest pain.

Your child:

• Develops a cough.

• Has a fever.

• Does not feel better after 24 hours.

Your child:

• Has shortness of breath, rapid breathing, or difficulty breathing.

• Has chest pain or discomfort.

• Seems pale, extremely tired, or unsteady.

To protect children from drowning:

• Empty wading pools and other containers of water (such as baths, sinks, and buckets) when not in use.

• Do not leave your child alone in a bath, sink, or wading pool, even for a moment.

• Do not put older kids in charge of watching younger children in or around water.

• Install a toilet-lid locking device and keep bathroom doors closed at all times.

• Install a safety fence at least 4 feet high (or higher, depending on local laws) on all sides of the pool, as well as a self-closing and self-latching gate that opens out from the pool with a lock that kids can't reach.

• An adult who knows how to swim, rescue, and perform CPR should supervise at the pool or beach.

• Your child should wear a life vest when boating.