Water Safety
Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 14. Children can drown in a variety of circumstances – during water recreation (such as swimming and boating) or when a young child is left unsupervised for a short time in the bathtub or around the home with access to nearby pools and hot tubs.
A child can drown in as little as one inch of water, and drowning is usually quick and silent. A child will lose consciousness two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes.
In 2003, 285 children died from accidental drowning in a swimming pool. Every year, thousands more are treated in emergency rooms for near-drownings. Most young children who drown in swimming pools were last seen in the home, had been missing from sight for less than five minutes and were in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning.
Parents and caregivers need to understand the dangers of drowning and know the proper steps to take to protect children.
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