Heads up. Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Heres one for ya. This is a FACT too.

When you drown, your lungs do not fill up with water.

Interesting thread...



Drowning is sad.

I actually had to pull up a little boy in the water once.
He ran into the water, made one swimming move and then sank.
Noone noticed him going to the water, luckily I was in.
Maybe thats why I think this is interesting.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water level
Head tilted back with mouth open
Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
Eyes closed
Hair over forehead or eyes
Not using legs – Vertical
Hyperventilating or gasping
Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
Trying to roll over on the back
Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder.

[link to mariovittone.com]

Summer and Swimming is coming!

Last Edited by The real and almighty Atom-Boy on 05/25/2012 06:16 AM

Right on, you saved a kids life

WOW...

I don't think about it like that. Its a relative, I don't wanna think he would have drowned otherwise.

I was at the lake with my uncle on 8/17/10 and I was walking down the boat ramp to some friends and saw him about 20 ft from everbody. I thought I was watching him try to noodle a fish or find a hole. After reading this article, I know now that I was watching him drown and didn't even know it. The information is good for later if I ever choose to swim again, but right now I can't handle this shit.

This article was really interesting. I was a lifeguard back in my youth and they didn't teach us this back then. This is important information to know.

5* to you OP and pin request

Last Edited by oh_yikes on 05/25/2012 07:27 AM

Unlike most of the crap that gets pinned, this is actually useful!

I agree. With swim season approaching here in the Northern Hemisphere, this is a timely article. It just might save a life.

Great reminder OP!

One of my biggest fears is my children drowning. When we were little we lived in the sticks but a friend a few miles down the road had a pool (which was a big deal in the 80's) Anyway we went swimming (both my sister and I could swim but she was only 3 maybe?) We were swimming around and playing and having fun the moms were chillin' by the pool sort of watching. My sister floated on a float down to the deep end of the pool where I was swimming, she thought she was still in the shallow and flipped off, the float landed on her head. I was only 5 or 6 at the time. I remember watching her struggle, never made a sound not one she actually LOOKED like she was swimming doggie paddle. Anyway I pulled the float of her head and mom finally realized I was trying to save her and jumped in to grab her.

I think this is why drowning scares me. My Dad and his brothers were playing outside when they were young back in the 60's there wasn't exactly a lot of adult supervision. Dad was young maybe 5 and his brother about 2 years older I think. The youngest was 13-15 months old. They walked out the back door of the house to play on the farm and their mom told them to watch their brother they agreed and walked out in the field their little brother turned to go back to the house so they went on to play thinking he had. hours later when they came home their mom wanted to know where the baby was. they found him, floating in a pond dead. I think my dad and uncle blame themselves to this very day.

All 3 of my children can swim and have been able to since a very young age my oldest needs little to no supervision (11) the middle child (4) does well but I still get panicky and they youngest (3) due to some disabilities has to be watched constantly. I don't mind at all, better safe than sorry.

I agree on that. I could never relax when we were at the pond until my kids could finally swim. Always had to have an eye on them. Better safe than sorry.

That wouldnt happen if you started breathing in the water when you couldnt hold your breath anymore?

sometimes the epiglottis closes and prevents water from entering the lungs, causing a "dry drowning.

Right, read that on wikipedia

I can relate to that. My youngest son nearly drowned in front of my eyes, just as they say in the article.

I was playing in a lake with his brother and sister who could both swim. He was 3, but taking swim lessons. I was keeping an eye on him as he played close to shore, but we had gotten a little too far away.

At first, he appeared to be splashing about joyously and it took a few seconds to register that he was in water over his head and floundering. As i swam towards him, he went under and came up twice. I kept thinking of the old tale that they don't come up the third time. I got there just as he went under again.

As we got out of the water he said "I'm never going in the lake again." I told him,"No, you will learn to swim and how to stay afloat in the water."

Eight years later, i watched him and his canoe class receive a life saver's award from Alberta Lt. Governor, Normie Kwong, for rescuing two British tourists whose canoe had capsized in Yellowknife Bay.

Last Edited by Corporal Klinger on 05/25/2012 12:29 PM

I'm glad to hear you pulled him out and he made it to a life saver later. Does this still haunt you somewhat? It does for me.

Wonderful!

Eleven 5 stars but no replies? Strange. But I'm glad this thread got 700+ views. It might save a life.

i almost drowned as a small child. i was being tossed back and forth between 2 adults in a pool. all of a sudden the game was over and i wasnt caught. down i went. i was not the best swimmer, and the shock of not being caught when i was thrown discombobulated me i guess. all i remember is not being able to hold by breath underwater any longer amidst all the people around me, or seem to be able to get to the surface. i ended up pinching someone's leg to get pulled up.

a kid can drown right next to you - never take it for granted that someone knows how to swim.

The kid I pulled up had to pass at least 5 adults to reach the pond. Noone cared. It was not the child of anyone he had to pass. They do not care. Never put the life of your child into foreign hands.

Thanks for your contribution.

We had a nephew at a pool party that jumped in and just sank. Me and my brother jumped in and pulled him up. He gets up and jumps right back in and sinks. We pulled him out again. The next summer he tool swimming lessons. I think most adults just "believe" that if a kid is getting in the pool he knows how to swim. But yeah, they don't make a sound, they just sink.

My friend lost her 2 year old last week...
[link to www.abc6onyourside.com]