Pool Safety There’s no doubt that swimming pools provide exercise and fun for kids- but water and kids can be a deadly mix when in an unsafe environment. Drowning is still the second leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1 to 14, despite a 40 percent decline in the childhood drowning death rate from 1987 to 2001, 859 children ages 14 and under died as a result of accidental drowning and in 2002 an estimated 2,700 children in the age group were treated in ERs for near-drowning. Drowning can during water recreational activities (swimming or boating) or when a young child is left unsupervised for a short time in the bathtub or around the home with access to nearby pools and spas. Drowning, which can happen in as little as one inch of water, is usually quick and silent. A child will lose consciousness two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes. The majority of children who survive without neurological consequences are discovered within two minutes of submersion, and most children who die are found after 10 minutes. For children who do survive, as many as 20 percent of these near-drowning survivors suffer severe permanent neurological disability, the effects of which often result in long-lasting psychological and emotional trauma for the child and his or her family. Research shows there is no one device or solution that can prevent all childhood drownings. Instead, a multifaceted strategy, including proper adult supervision, safe water environments, proper gear and education, is required to ensure children’s safety in and around water. Sixty percent of the reviewed drowning deaths occurred among children ages 4 and under. This finding is consistent with the nearly 61 percent of all childhood deaths that occur among this age group nationally. Twenty-three percent of reviewed deaths were among children ages 5 to 9, and 17 percent among children ages 10 to 14. The majority of drowning victims in reviewed cases were male. Males were found to have a drowning rate two to four times that of female children. Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of drowning victims in the reviewed deaths did not know how to swim. Seventy-three percent of victims ages 5 to 9 did not know how to swim, while only 30 percent of victims ages 10 to 14 did not know how to swim. None of the victims ages 4 and under knew how to swim. White children accounted for 69 percent of the reviewed drowning deaths. Nineteen percent of reviewed drowning deaths occurred among black children, and 20 percent were among Hispanic children. Nationally, black and American Indian children have drowning rates 50 to 70 percent higher than white children. Hispanic children have lower rates the non-Hispanics, accounting for only 15 percent of U.S. childhood drownings. Parents do not feel that their children are especially vulnerable to water hazards. More than half of parents (55 percent) reported that they do not worry very much or at all about their child drowning. Eighty-eight percent of children were under some form of supervision when they drowned. Forty-six percent of drowning victims in the reviewed deaths were on the care of parent at the time of the incident. Twenty-six percent were in the care of a relative other than a parent, including 5 percent in the care of a sibling younger than 18 years of age and 6 percent in the care of grandparent. Ten percent of the drowning victims were completely unsupervised at the time of the drowning and determined by reviewers to have required supervision. The majority (70 percent) of these unsupervised children were ages 5 to 14. These results are consistent with past studies indicating that childhood drownings and near-drownings typically occur when a child is left unattended or during lapse in supervision. Sixty-eight percent of children were in or near water right before the drowning incident, and 32 percent were last known to in another location in or around the home, most commonly playing outdoors (31 percent). Nearly all parents (94 percent) report that they always actively supervise their children while swimming. However, deeper examination reveals that parents participate in a variety of distracting behaviors while supervising, including talking to others (38 percent), reading (18 percent), eating (17 percent), and on the phone (11 percent). Most parents (55 percent) felt there were some circumstances where it is okay for a child to swim without adult supervision, such as if the child swims with a buddy (32 percent), if the child is an excellent swimmer (29 percent), or if the child has had several years of swimming lessons (23 percent). Mothers were more likely than fathers to report that it was not acceptable for kids to swim without supervision in these circumstances – 57 percent versus 30 percent. Studies show that installation and proper use of completely surrounding isolation fencing could prevent 50 to 90 percent of childhood residential swimming pool drownings. In reviewed deaths were barriers were breached, 63 percent of victims entered through an open of unlocked gate. Among cases where it was known whether the child was unattended at the time he or she gained access to the pool area through a gate, 39 percent of victims were known to have been alone upon entry. Seventy-eight percent of all parents and 69 percent of pool-owning parents felt that multiple barriers around pools are necessary to prevent drowning. While 98 percent of pool- or spa-owning parents report that they have taken adequate steps to ensure children’s safety, most report a lack of the actual environmental modifications required. Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of poll- and spa-owning parents have no isolation fencing, and 43 percent have no self-closing and self-latching gate. Pool-owning parents are even less likely to have other important safety devices near their pool – 82 percent have no shepherd’s hook, 73 percent have no posted CPR instructions and 64 percent have no phone with emergency numbers. While there is no conclusive evidence that drowning rates are higher for less experienced swimmers, swimming lessons often include survival skills training that may be useful in an emergency. More than half of parents (54 percent) believe that swimming lessons can prevent children from drowning. Sixty-three percent of parents whose children have taken lessons and 65 percent of teens who have taken lessons report that the instruction included some water survival skills training, such as treading water and survival floating. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, “children are generally not developmentally ready for formal swimming lessons until after their fourth birthday.” CONCLUSIONS · Drownings most commonly occur in recreational setting, often pools and open bodies of water. In fact, national data suggest that more than 385 children ages 14 and under drown each year while participating in water recreation, such as swimming or boating. Nearly half of these recreational drowning deaths (40 percent) are among children ages 5 to 14. · Parents are overconfident about their children’s safety. Although drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14, more than half (55 percent) of parents say they do not worry much or at all about their child drowning. · Several types of protection must be installed around home pools and be consistent in using barriers that do exist. While 98 percent of pool- or spa-owning parents report they have taken adequate steps to ensure children’s safety, most responses also reflect a lack of actual environmental modifications – nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of pool- and spa-owning parents have no isolation fencing, and 43 percent no self-closing and self-latching gate. · The quality of supervision of children around water must be increased, as nearly 9 to 10 deaths reviewed occurred while the child was being supervised. While nearly all parents said they always actively supervise their children while swimming, parents also admit to participating in a variety of distracting behaviors while supervising. · Kids should be enrolled in swimming lessons taught by a certified swimming instructor. Although the majority of parents (82 percent) agree that all children should take swimming lessons by age 8, 37 percent of parents of children ages 5 to 14 report that their child has never taken swimming lessons.
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