What Does Drowning Look Like? Warning Signs Every Parent Should Know Drowning is often silent, fast, and easy to miss. Knowing the real warning signs can help save a life. Many people picture drowning as loud, dramatic, and obvious. In real life, it often is not. A person in trouble may be quiet, vertical in the water, unable to move forward, or even motionless and face down. That matters because drowning remains a serious public health problem in the United States. The CDC reports that more than 4,500 people drowned each year from 2020 to 2022, and drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4. Drowning often does not look like the movies The American Red Cross says a swimmer needs immediate help if they are not making forward progress, are vertical in the water but unable to move or tread water, or are motionless and face down. The Red Cross also emphasizes that adults must stay with children even when...