How Child Drowning Can Be Prevented
A child can drown in as little as an inch of water. EDC’s Jennifer Leonardo discusses three ways to prevent tragedy.
Definition: Childhood drowning and near-drowning can occur in a number of settings -- pools, hot tubs, beaches, lakes, bathtubs, and buckets. Activities such as boating, jet skiing, water skiing, sailing, and surfing are also associated with water-related injuries and fatalities. Most drowning incidents happen when a child falls into a pool or is left alone in the bathtub. It can take only a couple of seconds for a child to drown, and drowning typically occurs when a child is left unattended or during a brief lapse in supervision.
Magnitude of the Problem: According to CDC WISQARS data:
Prevention: Laws and regulations enacted to address water safety often concentrate on swimming pool regulations and personal flotation device mandates. For example, the Virginia Graeme Baker Act requires anti-entrapment drain covers on pools and spas.
Environmental protections (e.g., isolation pool fences and lifeguards) can protect children and youth from drowning. Other strategies include teaching children proper techniques for survival swimming; communicating to parents and caregivers the importance of closely supervising children who are engaged in water activities; emphasizing the necessity of wearing life jackets while boating; educating individuals about avoiding alcohol while participating in water activities; and providing training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online], Fatal Injury Reports, 2010-2014.
A child can drown in as little as an inch of water. EDC’s Jennifer Leonardo discusses three ways to prevent tragedy.
In 2015, injuries caused 13,363 deaths in U.S. children and adolescents aged 0-19. In addition, injuries were responsible for 200,225 hospitalizations and almost 7.7 million emergency department (ED) visits in this population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], WISQARS, 2017). One important way to understand the burden of childhood injuries is by looking at the costs of those injuries.
Join the Children’s Safety Network to learn about important national approaches to drowning prevention, such as: The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign is the education and information effort supporting the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Pool Safely works with its partners around the country to inform the public, including parents, caregivers, children, and the industry about drowning and entrapment prevention.
This webinar, presented in January of 2012, provides an overview of Florida's drowning and drowning prevention data from 2006 until present.
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