Child in critical condition due to incorrect first aid for drowning.

During the April 29th - May 1st holiday period, the National Children's Hospital continuously received cases of drowning in children, including some cases where the children were in critical condition due to incorrect initial first aid, thus losing their chance of recovery.

According to hospital representatives, they received four child drowning victims during the three-day holiday. Notably, in many cases, adults handled the situation incorrectly from the start, making the condition more serious and requiring mechanical ventilation and intensive intervention.

A typical case involves a 6-year-old boy who drowned in his family's pond. Upon discovery, family members turned the child upside down and ran around him for about two minutes before performing CPR.

This action caused the "golden hour" to be missed. After the heart started beating again, the child was transferred to a lower-level facility and then to the National Children's Hospital in critical condition, requiring mechanical ventilation and medication to reduce brain edema, with a guarded prognosis.

Meanwhile, cases that received proper treatment from the start have shown positive outcomes. An 8-year-old child in Ninh Binh who was drowning while swimming in the sea received timely CPR from family members for about two minutes, helping his heart beat again before being transferred to the hospital; his health is now stable. Similarly, a 3-year-old boy in Hanoi who had an accident at a swimming pool also received proper emergency treatment and is recovering well.

According to experts, the main cause of death from drowning is brain damage due to lack of oxygen. The human brain can only withstand this condition for about 4 to 5 minutes. After that time, the damage may be irreversible, leading to death or severe neurological sequelae.

Turning a child upside down with the intention of "draining" them is a common mistake that doesn't improve their condition; instead, it slows down the rescue process and can even cause more serious harm. The most important thing is to quickly restore the victim's breathing and circulation.

Doctors advise that as soon as a child is found drowning, the victim should be brought ashore and checked for responsiveness and breathing. If the child is not breathing or their heart has stopped, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be performed immediately using chest compressions combined with artificial respiration.

After signs of life are detected, the child should be placed in a safe side-lying position, their clothing loosened, their body kept warm, and they should be quickly transported to the nearest medical facility for further monitoring and treatment.

Based on real-life cases, experts emphasize that equipping oneself with proper first aid knowledge not only helps save victims' lives but also minimizes the risk of brain damage and long-term sequelae.

According to doctors, the first thing to do in first aid for a drowning child is to get the child out of the water. Then assess the child's condition to see if they have stopped breathing or their heart has stopped beating. If so, quickly perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and simultaneously alert others to call emergency services (115).

Chest compression location: On the sternum, level with the line connecting the two nipples. Press down on the chest to about 1/3 to 1/2 of the rib cage. Chest compression rate: 100 compressions per minute. If you are alone providing first aid: Perform 30 chest compressions, then give 2 breaths.

If there are two rescuers: Perform 15 chest compressions, followed by 2 rescue breaths. Every 2 minutes, reassess whether the child is breathing again and has a pulse. Once the child's heart and breathing return, quickly transport the child to a medical facility for post-CPR assessment.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/tre-nguy-kich-vi-so-cuu-duoi-nuoc-sai-cach-d585094.html