Despite a 40 percent decline since 1987, drowning is still the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death to children ages 1 to 14, taking more than 900 children’s lives each year. For every child who drowns, four more are hospitalized for near-drowning; for every hospital admission, approximately four children are treated in hospital emergency rooms.

Knowledge is a powerful tool for combating these tragedies. Knowing how and where children drown, as well as the concrete steps you can take to avoid danger, may make a life-and-death difference for your family.

Water
Protecting Your Family

A child should never be unsupervised in or near water, even shallow wading pools. Devices (such as bathtub seats or water wings) can not be relied upon to keep them afloat and alive. Remember, children can drown in as little as 1 inch of water — and it can happen in no time at all.

Other steps you can take to protect your children:

Eliminate potential hazards:

• Empty all buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside-down and out of children’s reach.
• Keep toilet lids shut and use toilet locks.
• Pay attention to open water. Be aware of undercurrents and changing waves and undertows when at the ocean or lake.
• Do not let children dive into water unless the child has learned proper diving techniques, an adult is present and the depth of the water is greater than 9 feet.

Children with marginal mobility should not be left unattended in a tub or other body of water regardless of age or presumed ability.

Pool Drains:

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends that parents always supervise children around water and install fencing that completely surrounds all pools, spas, whirlpools and hot tubs. Teach children never to go near a pool drain with or without a cover, and to pin up long hair when in water.

Install multiple drains in all pools, spas, whirlpools and hot tubs. This minimizes the suction of any one drain, reducing risk of death or injury

Regularly check to make sure drain covers are secure and have no cracks. Replace flat drain covers with dome-shaped ones.

Know where the manual cut-off switch for the pump is in case of emergency. Consider installing an approved “safety vacuum release system” (SVRS), a tool that quickly and automatically turns off the pump (and stops the suction) when something is trapped in or blocks the drain.

Parents may also want to check to be sure these steps are taken at community pools, whirlpools, spas and hot tubs.

Plan ahead:

• Children should learn to swim. Enroll them in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors when they are ready, usually after age 4. If you don’t know how to swim, enroll with your kids!
• Adults and kids over age 13 should learn infant and child CPR.
• Know which of your child’s friends and neighbors have pools. Make sure your child will be supervised by an adult while visiting.
• Install four-sided isolation fencing at least 5 feet high, equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates, around home swimming pools.
• Keep rescue equipment, a telephone and emergency numbers by the pool.
• Pool alarms and pool covers can offer an extra layer of protection. However, do not rely on them to keep your kids safe; they should be used in conjunction with fencing and constant supervision.

Swimming lessons are an important step, but they do not make a child “drown-proof.” Children need to learn other water safety lessons, as well.

Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal safety device around oceans, rivers, lakes or when participating in water sports.

Always swim with a buddy. Swimming alone is very dangerous.

Know how to use rescue equipment and where emergency phone numbers are located.