By Angela McPhillips, DNP, RN
Olympic skier Bode Miller. Professional volleyball player Morgan Beck. Country music star Granger Smith. NFL star Shaquil Barrett.
What do these 4 celebrities have in common?
The shared tragic experience of losing a child to drowning.
Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children 1-4 years of age.
Approximately 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings occur each year in the US. This amounts to about 11 drowning deaths per day.
What can you do to prevent accidental drowning among the little ones in your life?
Keep reading to learn how to protect children by raising awareness of water safety and creating safe environments in your home and community.
Understanding the Risks
Young children are at a higher risk of drowning due to their inquisitive nature, lack of swimming skills, and because drownings happen quickly and quietly.
Unexpected, unsupervised access to water is a serious threat to children.
Nearly 70% of fatal drownings happen during “non-swim” times.
Drownings can occur anywhere there is water such as:
Swimming pools
Kiddie pools
Hot tubs
Bathtubs
Toilets
Natural bodies of water such as ponds, lakes, rivers, or oceans
Standing water in homes… think buckets used for cleaning, coolers with melted ice, trash bins that may collect rainwater
Importance of Water Safety Education
Fact: A child can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. Awareness of this and other water safety facts is critical in preventing childhood drowning.
Parents, caregivers, and communities have a role in keeping children safe. Water safety education and training should be paramount among these individuals and groups.
Promoting Water Safety
Water safety involves several layers of protection. Implement the following layers to keep children safe around water:
Use touch supervision, staying within arm’s length of the child whether at bath time or swim time. NEVER leave an infant or toddler alone in the water (pool or bathtub) even for a minute.
Provide direct and constant supervision during all swim times, designating an adult as a “water watcher.” The water watcher’s sole responsibility is to keep their eyes on the water, directly observing the children. No cell phones or other distractions are allowed. Supervise children even if lifeguards are present.
Start swim lessons as soon as possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting swim lessons as young as age 1, although a variety of factors may play into a child’s readiness. Check with your pediatrician for more guidance. Consider lessons that focus on swim survival and self-rescue. Swim lessons save lives.
If a child is missing, always check the pool or nearby bodies of water first.
Use properly fitted US Coast Guard Approved life jackets when boating, engaging in water sports, or playing near open water.
Prepare for drowning emergencies by learning CPR.
Creating Safe Environments
The following safety considerations are additional layers of protection:
Pool fences
Pool alarms
Alarms on pool fence gate and house doors
Window guards, especially for house windows that face the pool
Raising Awareness
Do your part to raise awareness about childhood drowning and water safety. This can be as simple as having a casual conversation with family or friends. Or using social media to spread awareness by sharing articles like this one.
If you are a parent, advocate for incorporating water safety into school curricula.
Work with your community to organize events to educate families about water safety.
Do your part to protect children and prevent childhood drowning:
Understand the risks of drowning among children
Educate yourself and others about water safety
Create safe water environments using several layers of protection
Raise awareness in your social networks and communities
Childhood drownings are preventable!
Let’s work together to create environments and communities that keep our kids safe.
Sources
Drowning Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/facts/
Drowning Prevention for Curious Toddlers: What Parents Need to Know. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Water-Safety-And-Young-Children.aspx
Infant Swim Resource. https://www.infantswim.com/
Pool Dangers and Drowning Prevention- When It’s Not Swimming Time. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Pool-Dangers-Drowning-Prevention-When-Not-Swimming-Time.aspx
Statistics. Swim On Foundation. https://www.swimonfoundation.org/statistics
Swim Lessons: When to Start & What Parents Should Know. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Swim-Lessons.aspx Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board