Important notes when giving first aid for drowning, avoiding brain damage

CANNOT BE DEFAULTED FROM OXYGEN FOR MORE THAN 5 MINUTES

The above mentioned children drowned in swimming pools and lakes, of which 3 children suffered prolonged cardiac arrest and 4 children suffered critical respiratory failure. According to doctors, out of 7 children, only 1 child received proper first aid, the remaining cases were given incorrect cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Lưu ý quan trọng khi sơ cứu đuối nước, tránh tổn thương não - Ảnh 1.

Lưu ý quan trọng khi sơ cứu đuối nước, tránh tổn thương não - Ảnh 2.

Lưu ý quan trọng khi sơ cứu đuối nước, tránh tổn thương não - Ảnh 3. — First aid steps for drowning children

Many cases, when brought up, were unconscious and not breathing, but were not given immediate cardiac arrest resuscitation. Instead, they were carried around in circles, delaying emergency care and increasing the risk of reflux, making it easy for the child to inhale stomach contents into the lungs.

Dr. Phan Huu Phuc, Director of the Institute for Child Health Training and Research, National Children's Hospital, said: Initial first aid for drowning children is very important because the main cause of death in drowning children is brain damage due to lack of oxygen. The maximum time the brain can withstand lack of oxygen is only about 3 - 5 minutes. After this time, it will lead to irreversible brain damage, causing death or neurological sequelae. Therefore, when seeing a drowning child who is unconscious, not breathing, or has stopped breathing, it is necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, chest compressions) immediately, because this is the golden time to save the child's life.

Dr. Phan Huu Phuc said that at the hospital, to successfully resuscitate cases of cardiac arrest due to drowning, it is necessary to apply a combination of many active resuscitation measures. In addition to the usual resuscitation measures, the National Children's Hospital has applied active hypothermia therapy, which means using devices to reduce the child's body temperature to 33 - 34 degrees Celsius for a few days to protect the brain, prevent further brain damage, and help it recover.

"However, the indication and effectiveness of hypothermia therapy depend on how long the child's heart has stopped and whether the child receives timely and proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation," Dr. Phuc noted.

"In cases where a child's heart stops for a long time but during that time the child receives good cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the treatment outcome will be better. On the contrary, if the child's heart stops for only 5-7 minutes but is not given proper initial emergency treatment, the treatment outcome will not be as good," Dr. Phuc emphasized.

Lưu ý quan trọng khi sơ cứu đuối nước, tránh tổn thương não - Ảnh 4.

PROPER FIRST AID IS THE DECISION OF LIFE AND SURVIVAL

Through the reality of receiving hundreds of children in emergency care due to drowning in recent years, doctors at the National Children's Hospital noted that although the health sector has widely communicated for many years, there are still many people who do not know the correct first aid skills when approaching and treating a drowning child.

Accordingly, do not turn the child upside down on your shoulder and run, this will cause the gastric juices to reflux into the airways and delay cardiopulmonary resuscitation (chest compressions, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation), wasting the golden time to rescue the child. Do not stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the child is not breathing. When performing external chest compressions, do not press too hard on the chest as this will cause broken ribs and lung contusions. All drowning children should be taken to medical facilities for further examination and monitoring of post-drowning complications.

Summer is the time when children often participate in swimming activities or go out and travel to places with lakes, rivers, streams, seas, etc. Eliminate the risk of drowning for children in the community, family, school. Ponds, lakes, water containers in the family must have fences and lids; warning signs must be posted at rivers, streams, lakes, etc. Public swimming areas must be supervised by lifeguards trained in rescue techniques.

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