Record information for a clinician. This sheet is not a home triage protocol or a clearance test. Follow your clinician’s instructions; never delay care to fill it in.
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Call 911 for severe or labored breathing, blue or gray color, unresponsiveness, confusion with breathing distress, or a child who is difficult to wake. If unresponsive and not breathing normally, start CPR and follow the dispatcher. Anyone who needed CPR or rescue breaths after drowning needs emergency medical care.
Persistent or worsening cough, fast or difficult breathing, chest pain, unusual sleepiness or confusion after a water incident need prompt medical attention. Do not wait for another observation entry.
A brief cough or sputter that resolves promptly, followed by completely normal breathing and behavior, can be observed by an attentive caregiver. Persistent or worsening cough, rapid or difficult breathing, unusual sleepiness or confusion require prompt medical care. If unsure whether your child is back to normal, contact a medical professional.
There is no fixed home countdown that proves a child is safe. Hospital observation guidance is not a home clearance rule. If a clinician advises home observation, follow the individual discharge instructions. Seek care when symptoms appear or worsen; do not wait for a timer or the next log entry.
Clinician’s instructions and contact number: __________________________________________
Recommended timing and follow-up: __________________________________________________
| Time | Breathing / effort | Cough | Color / behavior | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time: ______ | ||||
| Time: ______ | ||||
| Time: ______ | ||||
| Time: ______ | ||||
| Time: ______ |
Do not use a stable trend, breathing count, or completed log to rule out injury. Seek care when symptoms appear or worsen.
No. “Secondary,” “dry,” “delayed” and “near” drowning are not accepted medical diagnoses. Drowning means breathing impairment caused by immersion or submersion in liquid, and its outcome can be fatal or nonfatal. Breathing problems after a real drowning incident require medical attention.
Follow medical advice about sleep, observation and returning to swimming after an actual drowning incident.
Updated October 15, 2026. American Red Cross guidance.
Keep reading — the guides behind every section of this log.
A near miss usually shows you exactly what your child could not yet do: most young children who slip under try to climb upward instead of getting their face out and their body onto its back. A structured programme teaches that sequence on purpose, again and again — back to the surface, roll onto the back, float and breathe, turn, and get to the edge. It does not replace watching them. It adds the layer the scare just showed was missing.
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