Safe Kids Worldwide and Nationwide’s Make Safe Happen program recently released a report that highlights the dangers that lead to childhood drowning, with a specific focus on incidents that occur in canals, rivers, oceans and other types of open water.
Sam Kittner
Key findings of the research include:
» Overall, an estimated 1,000 children fatally drown in a single year, 70 percent of them between May and August.
» An additional 7,000 children end up in the emergency room because of a drowning scare. That means a minimum of 150 families a week are impacted by a tragic or frightening event.
» Most often those drownings take place in open water. A 10-year-old, for example, is three times more likely to drown in open water than in a pool. Older teens are more than eight times more likely to die as a result of an open water drowning than a pool drowning.
» Boys are at greatest risk: 8 in 10 open water fatal drowning victims are males.
» African–American children are twice as likely to fatally drown in open water than their white counterparts. American Indian children are at even higher risk.
The report, “Hidden Hazards: An Exploration of Open Water Drowning and Risks for Children,” reveals that, while the number of fatal drownings among children and teens declined over the past several decades, the downward trend stopped between 2015 and 2016, when there was a 14 percent increase in fatal drownings. The 1,002 drownings in 2016 (latest data available) was the highest number in five years. And most often those drownings occurred in lakes, rivers, oceans and other types of open water.
Children need to understand that swimming in open water is very different from swimming in a pool. Lakes, rivers and oceans present potential hazards — such as dangerous drop-offs, strong currents, hard-to-assess distances and limited visibility — that parents need to carefully consider before allowing their kids to wade in.
Keeping kids safe in open water
The “Hidden Hazards” report features a variety of tips that parents and caregivers can use to keep children safe around open water.
» Use designated swimming and recreational areas whenever possible. Professionals have assessed the area, and there are usually signs posted regarding hazards.
» Watch kids when they are in or around water. Keep young children and inexperienced swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Make sure older children swim with a partner every time.
» Make sure children learn to swim. Every child is different, so enroll children in swim lessons when they are ready.
» Use a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket in and around open water. Get a life jacket (also called a personal floatation device or PFD) that is appropriate for a child’s weight and the water activity.
» Learn water rescue skills and CPR. It is important to know how to respond in an emergency without putting yourself at risk. Learning basic rescue skills and CPR may help you save a child’s life.
For more information on keeping children of all ages safe around all types of water, go to safekids.org/watersafety.
Read the full report The “Hidden Hazards” report is available at safekids.org/research-report/hidden-hazards-exploration-open-water-drowning-and-risks-kids
Sally Kreuscher is the child advocacy program coordinator and Safe Kids coordinator for the Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida.
Safe Kids is a nonprofit coalition of agencies and organizations dedicated to eliminating preventable childhood injuries. Visit safekidsswfl.org.