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SALT LAKE CITY — Drowning becomes more of a concern in the summer months as people turn to water to cool off, but signs of it are not what many have been led by Hollywood to believe.
Drowning is often portrayed in movies and on TV as a loud, chaotic event, with the victim calling out and waving his hands in the air. In actuality, the body's physiological response to a lack of air makes such signs unlikely to be given.
Dr. Francesco A. Pia described in 2006 what he called the "instinctive drowning response": our bodies' reactions to actual or perceived suffocation. Despite folklore, the reaction is not attention-grabbing, which may explain concerning statistics from the CDC.
Nearly 4,000 deaths a year are caused by drowning. Among children, drowning is the second-leading cause of death, second only to motor vehicle accidents. Also concerning is that 50 percent of children drown within 25 yards of an adult — and in 10 percent of those cases, the adult watched the incident take place, but did not recognize what was happening.
- Head only partially above water
- Failing to gain distance while appearing to swim
- Appearing to swim while vertical
- Appearing to climb an invisible ladder
- Hair in mouth and eyes: person may be focused on breathing, not seeing
Part of the problem is that drowning victims are unable to call out for help. The body's first priority is breathing, and the mouths of drowning victims are not above water for long enough of a period of time to allow for exhaling, inhaling, shouting and inhaling again. Every effort goes to breathing.
Pia also pointed out that drowning victims cannot wave for help, displacing another common assumption. Victims instinctively push their hands down against the water in an effort to reach the surface for oxygen.
It is also uncommon to see a victim thrashing in the water before drowning: people will remain upright without kicking, research shows.
If someone is yelling for help or thrashing in the water, though, he or she could be experiencing aquatic distress, which sometimes comes before the instinctive drowning response.
Experts emphasize that it is always safest to avoid risky situations in the first place. Adults should watch inexperienced swimmers or children who are in or near water, and use proper flotation devices when necessary. The CDC also urges adults to learn CPR, which is taught by the Red Cross at locations throughout Utah.
