The Drowning Risks Associated with Visiting Family or Friends | Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is an increased risk of pediatric drowning accidents when visiting relatives or friends compared with the risk at home.

METHODS: Retrospective review of a database of 100 consecutive drowning accidents presenting to a community hospital in Tampa, Florida between July 1993 and July 2007.

RESULTS: Over a 14-year period of time, 100 drowning accidents presented to our hospital, of which 19 occurred while visiting family or friends from out-of-town. Sixty percent of the total drowning accidents involved males, whereas 68.5% of the visitor drowning accidents involved males. The overall mortality was 10% (10 out of 100) with all survivors having complete neurologic recovery, and 2/19 (10.5%) visiting victims did not survive. Factors associated with the visitor drowning accidents included lack of proper pool fencing, distraction of supervising adults, unfamiliarity with surroundings, and inability to swim.

CONCLUSIONS: Nineteen percent of pediatric drowning accidents presenting to a community hospital in Tampa, Florida involved victims who were visiting relatives or friends from out of town. This represents a six-times increased risk when visiting family or friends compared to the risk of drowning at home. 79% of the visitor drowning incidents occurred in a home swimming pool of the friend or relative.

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• Drowning Prevention