Austin, Texas - (June 22, 2010) - The temperatures are rising and more families are hitting area pools and lakes. This popular summer activity has physicians at Dell Children's Medical Center, a member of the Seton Family of Hospitals concerned as child drowning incidents have increased.
Each year, more than 830 children, ages 14 and under, die as a result of unintentional drowning in the United States. As of June 21, Dell Children's emergency department treated 17 children involved in near-drowning incidents this year; two of those children have died. In 2009 Dell Children's saw 39 near-drowning patients; five of those patients died. A total of 43 near-drowning incidents occurred in 2008 with six out of 43 children dying.
"We are just one day into summer, and already we have seen one too many children drown," said Dr. Pat Crocker, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Dell Children's. "Children can drown in as little as one inch of water and it can happen in a matter of seconds. These incidents can be prevented with proper supervision in and around water."
Safe Kids Austin, a community coalition for child safety led by Dell Children's, suggests these tips for water safety this summer:
- Always supervise children in and around water. Never allow them to be near water alone.
- Children should not be expected to supervise each other around water. Parents should be present at all times.
- Teach young children how to swim.
- Inflatable toys, like water wings, cannot be relied upon to keep children afloat.
- 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.