Every summer we talk about dry drowning, sometimes without knowing exactly how it differs from a classic drowning. Let's take stock to recognize the different symptoms and, above all, to avoid any type of drowning for your children.
It scares parents who fear not being aware of possible symptoms in their child: dry drowning is a type of drowning during which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the “air duct closes due to spasms caused by the presence of water ”. The phenomenon of dry drowning, also called secondary drowning, differs from a so-called wet drowning, because the symptoms are not immediate: loss of consciousness does not occur immediately, as does respiratory arrest. But it's not about falling into paranoia and thinking that a child drinking a small cup could die a few hours or even a few days later without other symptoms. There is always at the base an event during which the respiratory tracts are more or less flooded.
What are the symptoms to watch for to prevent drowning?
After such an event, such as a particularly important cup or an agitated bathing, during which your child had difficulty in evacuating the inhaled liquid in more or less quantity, certain signs must alert you as to the deterioration of his state: he presents a persistent oily or dry cough, he cannot breathe comfortably, he feels sick or tired, he vomits, his lips are blue, his complexion is very pale or greyish… Do not wait to act: tell the rescuers if you are on the beach or the lifeguards if you are at the swimming pool, call the emergency services or go to the emergency room immediately. Your child can be taken care of quickly to evacuate the water present in his lungs.
Does dry drowning really exist?
It will be worth remembering that opinions differ on this precision of "dry drowning". This term is no longer really used by doctors, who prefer to no longer distinguish between the different types of drowning. In one of their bulletins from 2005, WHO experts even decided to stop using the expressions "wet, dry, active, passive, silent or secondary drowning", and to define drowning as "respiratory failure resulting submersion or immersion in a liquid medium. ”
What if my child drowns?
It is also good to know how to react to a drowning that is not dry: if after his rescue, your child does not breathe, notify the rescue and then practice without waiting word-of-mouth until he can breathe again. If his heart is no longer beating, you will have to perform a cardiac massage alternating with artificial respiration, or get help from another person who may be present. When your child comes back to him, take him to the hospital right away.
As you can see, first aid gestures can make all the difference in these precious minutes after drowning: do not hesitate to ask the Red Cross, the Civil Protection or the National Association for First Aid to follow a training of a few hours which can always serve you.
How to prevent drowning?
Other means are also available to minimize the risk of drowning. Obviously, never leave a baby or child unattended near any water source, and never leave an older child to watch over a smaller child. When several adults are present, clearly designate a responsible person to know who is in charge of supervising the children. After swimming in the pool, for example, make sure that there are no toys or bathing articles left on the water or around the pool, which could encourage children to enter the water. Likewise, do not leave objects that could be climbed near the protective barrier that surrounds the pool or near an above-ground pool.
It is also essential to make children aware of the dangers that water can represent, as advised by Laurence Pérouème, president of the Sauve-qui-wants association, committed for more than 20 years in the prevention of drowning of young children in France. “A young child is really the adventurous child, from 1 year, 1 year and a half, as soon as he can walk, it is the baby explorer: he discovers the world, he becomes independent, but he has no awareness of the danger. And because it is impossible to monitor a child 24 hours a day, it is necessary to clearly explain to him as a small child that he does not have the right to go into the water alone, it is necessary to prohibit and to be very firm. You have to tell him that swimming alone is dangerous and that he can drown. It is only when they grow up, around 4 years old, that the child will start to realize the danger. "
Because, explains Laurence Pérouème, it only takes a moment of inattention for a drowning to take place: "It is said that a child drowns in less than three minutes but in fact the accident in itself lasts only a few seconds, and there can be rapid neurological damage. It’s really time to turn your head. ”
Laurence Pérouème has also written a book Attention Gabriel, an accident happened so quickly to explain to parents as well as to children in a fun way how domestic accidents, including drowning, can be avoided.
The president of the association also advises parents to learn to swim with their children as soon as possible to reduce the risk of drowning, and not necessarily wait until the age of 6.
What data are there regarding drowning in France?
And when you know the data concerning drowning in France, you can only want to follow all of this precious advice closely. Because drowning is the leading cause of death by accident in everyday life among those under 25 and more specifically in children aged 1 to 4. The “Drowning” survey, carried out by Santé Publique France in the summer of 2018, also tells us that out of the 34 drownings followed by death in the 0-5 age group that summer, 25 took place in a private swimming pool family. Hence the paramount importance of respecting safety standards when installing a swimming pool at home or of always choosing a holiday home with a secure swimming pool.
Does my swimming pool meet the standards?
And these standards, it is thanks to Laurence Pérouème that we have them available, since she fought to pass the law of January 3, 2003 relating to the safety of swimming pools. Improved twice, in 2004 and 2006, this regulation requires that all swimming pools, except those above ground or inflatable, be equipped with a standardized safety device. This can be:
- a protective barrier with a minimum height of 1.20m
- a safety cover or tarpaulin
- a shelter, like a veranda, to completely cover the pool
- an audible alarm system
The director of the association advises, however, not to use only an alarm: “If it’s just an alarm, it doesn’t prevent children from falling into the water. It’s a very bad system: it can be an additional device but it’s not protection. ” She also recalls that a blanket should be closed each time the pool is exited, not just at night, at the risk of not being useful in protecting children from drowning.
And as indicated by the Consumer Safety Commission and a parliamentary report of 2009, this law has a beneficial effect and has demonstrated its effectiveness “given the evolution of the number of drownings of children occurred in private pools, whether or not followed by death, and the increase in the number of private swimming pools at the same time. ”
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