drowning | Patient Talk

The Infographic: Home pool and spa safety steps accurately pointed out the alarming numbers of children drowning, the swimming pools involved and the preventive measures to be done. It also focuses on naming the ages involved for the parents to be careful with their child.

Here are the factors why these children are at risk of drowning:
• Inability to swim: Studies have proven that one of the main reasons for drowning is that the children can’t swim. And other studies show that there is a decrease in the incidence of drowning for children who know how to swim.
• The barriers are not present: Pool fencing prevents children’s access to the pool, and without it, children will not receive adult supervision that in turn can cause drowning.
• No or decrease in close supervision: A heightened peripheral vision of parents is essential and not just their presence in preventing children from drowning.
• The location: CDC’s research proved that children mostly drown in home swimming pools, and the Infographic has the breakdown of the incidence in the different kinds of a pool.
• Presence of Disease, such as cardiovascular, respiratory and seizure disorders: Hindrances like these, most especially for febrile seizures, increases the risk of that child in drowning. Children with congenital diseases of the heart need a doctor’s approval to swim. Also, pediatricians recommend a check-up for children with respiratory asthma. A febrile seizure is common in 6 months to 5 years, which is near the age bracket of the victims of drowning.
Now that you have an idea of whom they are, it is right that an utmost importance be given in caring for a child belonging to that age bracket. The safety measures/steps presented in the Infographic is very important to make sure that children will not be left alone or be allowed to go near the pool.

Children at Risk of Drowning: Who are They?

Young people at greater risk of drowning

According to the World Health Authority drowning is in the top ten causes of death in children and young people across the globe.

Indeed they say that 372,000 die each year because of drowning. According to the World Health Organization’s first Global report on drowning entitled “preventing a leading killer”. (Note to the WHO – have you heard of capitals? Try ’em you will make more sense).

The core finding include:-

o 50% of drowning deaths are among those aged under 25 years. Under 5s are most at risk.
o Males are twice as likely to drown than females
o More than 90% of drowning occurs in low- and middle-income countries

“Efforts to reduce child mortality have brought remarkable gains in recent decades, but they have also revealed otherwise hidden childhood killers. Drowning is one. This is a needless loss of life. Action must be taken by national and local governments to put in place the simple preventive measures articulated by WHO.” according to WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan.

Of course as with anything produced by tax-payer funded bodies “Something must be done”!

In fact in this case the ideas are reasonably sensible and include:-

a) installing barriers to control access to water
b) providing safe places such as day care centres for children
c) and the obvious but overlooked teaching children basic swimming skills and training bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation. Indeed some studies suggest only 50% of children can swim.

So do you teach your children swimming? Is there anything else you would add to this list? Please feel free to share in the comments section below.

Thanks in advance!