Drowning Is Leading Cause Of Unintentional Deaths Among Children Between Ages Of One And Four
The Washington Post (7/4) reported, “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional deaths among children between” the ages of one and four. What’s more, “for every child who drowns, another five visit the emergency department for a nonfatal injury associated with submersion.” Currently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is running “a national public education campaign aimed to reduce child drownings and swimming pool entrapments.” Called Pool Safely, the campaign “was designed to educate parents and children about pool risks – and how to sidestep them without giving up the pursuit of summer fun.”
According to the Washington Post (7/5), Sarah Denny, “lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Prevention of Drowning policy statement,” feels that “parents need to start by honestly acknowledging that drowning is a threat to their children.” Denny said, “If your child has swimming lessons, don’t assume that they’re drown-proof; assume they need supervision.” She added, “Parents must be aware of the risks and take proper precautions,” including knowing that drowning “happens both when children are expected to be around water and when they’re not expected to be around water,” such as when a child sneaks into a pool enclosure. The AAP “recommends four-sided” pool “fencing with a minimum height of four feet and self-closing, self-latching gates” which should be “shut and locked” during non-swim times.
Even though Summer is almost over, it's never too late to be aware!
Dr. T