"Many people think that holding a child upside down to drain water from their stomach will save them, but this is a dangerous misconception," said Duong Khanh Van, a technical officer at the World Health Organization (WHO), at the launch of the Journalists for Child Rights Club and the World Drowning Prevention Day media campaign on 18/7 in Hanoi.
Drowning is one of the top 10 causes of death for children aged 5 to 14. More than 600 people worldwide die from drowning every day. In Vietnam, nearly 2,000 children under 16 drown each year. In recent years, the National Children's Hospital alone has treated around 100 children for drowning, many of whom suffered irreversible brain damage or died tragically.
The risk of drowning is ever-present for children, especially during holidays and the summer. Immediate first aid is crucial because the primary cause of death in drowning children is brain damage from lack of oxygen. The brain can only survive without oxygen for 4 to 5 minutes. After this time, the brain may suffer irreversible damage, leading to death or neurological impairment. Therefore, if a child is drowning, unconscious, not breathing, and their heart has stopped, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), including rescue breaths and chest compressions, should be performed immediately.
Many drowning children die immediately or arrive at the hospital beyond saving due to incorrect first aid. Holding a child upside down and running inadvertently deprives them of a chance of survival or causes further harm.
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Children in the Hanoi suburbs cool off in a village pond. Photo: Giang Huy |
Children in the Hanoi suburbs cool off in a village pond. Photo: Giang Huy
The National Children's Hospital, for example, received a 12-year-old patient from Nam Dinh who had drowned and was held upside down and carried for about 10 minutes. When this proved ineffective, chest compressions were started, and the child was taken to the district hospital. The child's heartbeat returned after 15 minutes, but because the heart had stopped for over 30 minutes, despite intensive resuscitation efforts, the child remained in a deep coma with respiratory failure and a grim prognosis for severe neurological damage.
Experts recognize that summer and extended holidays are times when children frequently swim and travel, thus increasing the risk of drowning. If a child is drowning, they should be quickly removed from the water by any means. Check if they are breathing and try to get a response by gently shaking and calling them. If the child is not breathing, start CPR immediately with rescue breaths and chest compressions.
Place the victim in a safe, sideways position, with their head and shoulders slightly raised and clothing loosened to prevent further choking. Dry them, change their clothes, keep them warm, and quickly transport them to the nearest medical facility.
Le Nga
