It's a devastating number...708 kids under the age of 14 will drown in their backyard pools this summer because they are unsupervised or poorly supervised. In fact, if they're more than an arm's length away from you, they're in danger.
Here's the article titled, "Will Your Child Be One of the 708 This Summer?" I wrote in earlier this year. In it, I extensively detailed the various forms of drowning, all of which can lead to death. Secondary or delayed drowning, dry drowning and near-drowning incidences have the potential to cause catastrophic health problems that may have lifelong consequences.
I've evaluated approximately ten children who had a history of near-drowning incidences because parents were concerned about the "possibility" that "something happened" during the event. They were right. There were very serious consequences even when the child was released from the hospital after several hours.
Here's the article titled, "Will Your Child Be One of the 708 This Summer?" I wrote in earlier this year. In it, I extensively detailed the various forms of drowning, all of which can lead to death. Secondary or delayed drowning, dry drowning and near-drowning incidences have the potential to cause catastrophic health problems that may have lifelong consequences.
I've evaluated approximately ten children who had a history of near-drowning incidences because parents were concerned about the "possibility" that "something happened" during the event. They were right. There were very serious consequences even when the child was released from the hospital after several hours.
The C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan polled 1,543 parents of kids ages 6 to 18 and 37% of them would allow their kids to swim unsupervised in a pool at their home, hotel or in the neighborhood. Of these same parents, 16% would allow their kids to swim unsupervised in a lake and 13% would allow them to swim in the ocean.
Clearly, they don't appreciate the dangers that a man-made body of water can pose. Is it the case that they have a false sense of security with a pool, any pool? Drownings occur anyway and everywhere, even in toilets and buckets and koi ponds. Their deaths are silent.
Clearly, they don't appreciate the dangers that a man-made body of water can pose. Is it the case that they have a false sense of security with a pool, any pool? Drownings occur anyway and everywhere, even in toilets and buckets and koi ponds. Their deaths are silent.
Nearly half of the parents of competent swimmers felt safe leaving their kids on their own in a nearby pool, but only 14% of the parents of those kids who couldn't swim independently were willing to leave them alone in a pool. All of these parents are endangering their children. All of them.
Photo credit to Masterfile.com.
As I reported in my previous article about drowning, kids' competence with swimming just may depend on their race. Only 66% of Hispanic kids and 49% of black kids can swim on their own while 80% of white kids are competent swimmers. The availability of a pool and resources to pay for swimming lessons are the key factors. Go to the article to look for swim lessons in your community. USA Swimming has resources through their Make A Splash foundation.
Drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related deaths for kids under the age of 15. About 5,000 kids are hospitalized due to non-fatal water-related injuries. If your child is out of reach they are in danger.
I can't help but warn you about secondary drowning which is also known as delayed drowning is when a child might swallow water and choke. Even if they appear to resolve the incident, they could have water in their lungs which will cause a "domino" effect resulting in a need for emergency medical treatment. It can result in death.
Maybe it's just me and maybe I don't care if someone thinks I'm overly reacting, but if my kid had a bad choking incident in a pool or lake or river or whatever, I'm taking him to the ER. Why? Because I can't live with the consequences and I'm not arrogant enough to risk my child's life by thinking that I "know better".
Please please read the article and share it with others, especially grandparents and aunts and anyone who might be responsible for your child when they are in the water. We've got to do better. One kid's life can make all the the difference in the world to that one family.
Just do the best you can, Claudia.
Join me on Facebook at Dr. Claudia McCulloch
I can't help but warn you about secondary drowning which is also known as delayed drowning is when a child might swallow water and choke. Even if they appear to resolve the incident, they could have water in their lungs which will cause a "domino" effect resulting in a need for emergency medical treatment. It can result in death.
Maybe it's just me and maybe I don't care if someone thinks I'm overly reacting, but if my kid had a bad choking incident in a pool or lake or river or whatever, I'm taking him to the ER. Why? Because I can't live with the consequences and I'm not arrogant enough to risk my child's life by thinking that I "know better".
Please please read the article and share it with others, especially grandparents and aunts and anyone who might be responsible for your child when they are in the water. We've got to do better. One kid's life can make all the the difference in the world to that one family.
Just do the best you can, Claudia.
Join me on Facebook at Dr. Claudia McCulloch
