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MILWAUKEE (6/20/2007) - With pools and beaches opening nationwide for the summer months, it is important for parents to stress water and boating safety with their children. Nearly 64 percent of drownings in children 14 and younger take place during the summer months, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. Drowning ranks in the top five causes of injury-related deaths for Wisconsin children ages 1-17 and accounts for the death of more than 1,000 children each year. For every child who drowns, four more are hospitalized for near drowning.
The majority of drownings occur in residential swimming pools and at open water sites. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water. Drowning occurs quickly and silently, most often when a child is left unattended. It takes only two minutes after submersion before a child will lose consciousness. Most children who drown are found after approximately 10 minutes. This short time frame could be the few minutes a parent steps inside to use the restroom or answer the phone.
"Children have a natural curiosity with water, so close supervision is essential in preventing drowning accidents," said Bridget Clementi, manager of Injury Prevention at Children's Hospital and Health System of Wisconsin. "The best supervision parents and caregivers can provide is to stay close and enjoy the water with their children."
While cooling off at the beach or pool, remember to practice water safety. The SAFE KIDS Wisconsin Coalition and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin offer the following tips for safe swimming:
-Never leave children alone in or near water.
-Never rely on a personal flotation device to protect a child.
-Do not assume your child is "drown-proof." Even though your child may have taken swimming lessons, he or she still needs constant supervision.
-Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and keep rescue equipment, a telephone and emergency numbers poolside.
-Never allow children to dive in water less than nine feet deep.
-Children ages 14 and younger never should operate a personal watercraft.
Boating accidents also are common among children, with a reported 160 boating injuries and more than a dozen deaths from watercraft accidents each year. Many of these fatalities and injuries in children could have been prevented if the child had been wearing a life jacket. Follow these tips for safe boating:
-Children should wear life jackets at all times when on boats or near bodies of water.
-Make sure the life jacket is the right size for your child. The jacket should not be loose and should be worn as instructed with all straps belted.
-Blow-up water wings, toys, rafts and air mattresses should not be used as life jackets or life preservers.
-Adults should wear life jackets for their own protection and to set a good example.
-Adolescents and adults should be warned of the dangers of boating when under the influence of alcohol, drugs and even some prescription medications.
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