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If someone needs immediate help with child drowning, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A child was found in water, is struggling in water, or was just pulled out and is not responding normally.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Get child out. Call 112. If not breathing — push on chest. Keep warm.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Child is face-down or submerged in water.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Child is blue, limp, or not crying after being pulled out.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Child is coughing heavily, vomiting, or very sleepy after a water incident.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Children can drown in very little water — a bucket, bathtub, or shallow pool edge. Near-drowning can still cause brain damage from lack of oxygen.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Remove the child from water — reach or throw first; enter water only if safe.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Lay the child on a flat surface. Shout for someone to call 112.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Check breathing for 10 seconds. If not breathing — start chest compressions with one hand (infant: two fingers).
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Push about one-third the depth of the chest, fast — 100-120 per minute.
When and how to get professional help.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Use reach-throw for rescue. Start CPR immediately if not breathing — do not wait for water to drain.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112. Say: "A child was drowning. They are [breathing/not breathing]. Send ambulance."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Tell them the child's approximate age and how long they were in water.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Every child who has been submerged or nearly drowned needs emergency hospital care — complications can appear hours later.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT hold the child upside down or slap their back to "drain water" — this wastes time and can cause injury.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT assume the child is fine because they coughed — they need hospital evaluation.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT leave the child alone even for a moment after a water incident.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You should hang a child upside down after drowning
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — This does not remove water from the lungs effectively and delays CPR. Start compressions immediately.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Bucket drowning
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A young child has fallen head-first into a bucket, tub, or container of water and may be submerged.
Bathtub emergency
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A child is submerged, unconscious, or having a seizure in the bathtub.
Pool emergency
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Someone is in trouble at a swimming pool — submerged, not moving, or injured at the pool edge.
Reach-throw rescue
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Someone is in water and needs help. You are on shore or a safe platform and need to get them out without entering the water.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If breathing but unconscious — place in recovery position on their side.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Cover with dry towels. Remove wet clothes if possible without delaying CPR.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Critical minutes lost while performing useless "draining" techniques.