TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Approximately 10 people die every day in the United States from drowning, which ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional death in the United States.
Two out of those 10 deaths are typically children aged 14 or younger. Though there has been a slight decrease (11 percent nationwide) in child drownings since 2010, drowning is still the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 4. It is also the second leading cause of death in children ages 5 to 14 years old. Drowning can and does occur in almost any amount of water, indoors or outdoors.
Just how big is the problem?
From 2005-2014, there were an average of 3,536 non-boating related drownings annually in the United States. An additional 332 people died annually from drowning in boat-related mishaps.
Approximately 1 in 5 people who die from drowning are age 14 and younger. For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency room care for non-fatal submersion injuries!
More than 50 percent of drowning victims treated in emergency rooms require hospitalization. These non-fatal drowning injuries can and usually cause severe brain damage that can result in long-term issues such as memory problems, learning disabilities and permanent loss of basic functioning or motor skills resulting in a vegetative state.
Despite the decrease, fatal and non-fatal child drownings in pools and spas continue to pose a public health and safety challenge across the United States. In a recent national media interview, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Elliot F. Kaye urged families to be vigilant when children are in and around the water this summer.
"Children drowning continues to be a public health crisis," said Chairman Kaye. "My heart breaks when I read death reports about toddlers who slip out the back door and into an unprotected pool or young kids who do not have basic swim skills and end up participating in a pool party. As the father of two young boys, I know how challenging it is to always keep an eye on your children; but constant supervision, along with four-sided fencing, knowing how to perform CPR and teaching children how to swim are the keys to stopping child drownings. I believe that we can continue to reduce the number of drownings, because drowning is 100 percent preventable."
Know what? He is absolutely correct! It is unquestionably heartbreaking to hear that anyone, but especially a child, has drowned in a family pool -- totally unacceptable!
Another safety issue that is rarely discussed involving children and pools is entrapment.
Entrapment occurs when part of a bather or swimmer's body becomes attached to a pool or spa drain as a result of the suction of the water circulation system or when an arm or leg is inserted into a drain with a missing or broken cover. Death or serious injury can occur when the force of the suction overpowers the swimmer's ability to disengage from the drain and rise to the surface of the water. Often, the strength of an adult is still not enough to remove someone trapped by a pool or spa drainage system.
Entrapment deaths can also occur when a person's hair or swimsuit gets tangled in the drain or on an underwater object, such as a ladder. Another type of entrapment is evisceration, caused by the suction when a bather or swimmer sits on an uncovered drain. The powerful suction of the drain can pull a person's internal organs from the body. It is a serious injury that more often than not results in death.
Entrapments, entanglements and eviscerations happen most commonly to children. Children's public wading pools, other pools designed specifically for young children and in-ground spas that have flat drain grates and single main drain systems pose the greatest risk of entrapment.
The CPSC also released a recent report on circulation and entrapment incidents in swimming pools, spas and whirlpool bathtubs. The latest data from 2011 and 2015 show that there were 18 children under the age of 15 who suffered a circulation entrapment, with the majority of incidents involving children younger than 15 years of age. While there were 18 separate incidents in this age group, there was only one fatality: a 4-year-old child who became entrapped in a residential spa.
To keep children safer and alive in and around the water:
· Install a four-sided fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate around all pools and spas.
· Designate a "water watcher" to supervise children in the pool or spa. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smart phone or be otherwise distracted. (Order or download a free Water Watcher card at www.PoolSafely.gov)
· Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
· Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults.
· Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments, entanglements or the possibility of losing parts of their intestinal tract.
· Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards and if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safe drain covers.
· Safe drain covers have no cracks, are secure, and are dome-shaped as opposed to the flat type. If a pool or hot-tub has a broken, loose or missing drain cover, don't use it!
· Empty all tubs, buckets, containers, and kiddie pools immediately after use. Store them upside down so they don't collect water.
Now, here's something just as scary: Ever heard of "dry" or "secondary drowning"?
If you're like most parents, you probably figure once your child is done swimming or playing in the water, their risk of drowning is over. But "dry" and "secondary" drowning can occur hours after the child has toweled off and moved on to other things. These types of drownings can occur when your child breathes water into his lungs. Sometimes that happens when he is struggling while swimming, but it can also be the result of something as simple as getting water in his mouth or getting dunked.
It can happen to adults, but it's more common in children because of their small size, says Dr. Raymond Pitetti, associate medical director of the emergency department at Children's Hospital of Pittsburg.
With dry drowning, water never reaches the lungs. Instead, breathing in water causes your child's vocal chords to spasm and close up after she has already left the pool, ocean or lake. That shuts off the child's airways, making it hard to breathe.
Secondary drowning happens a little bit differently. Your child's airways open up, letting water into their lungs where it builds up, causing a condition called "pulmonary edema." The end result is the same: Trouble breathing.
Symptoms of dry drowning usually occur right after any incident in the water. Secondary drowning generally starts later, from one to 24 hours after the incident, Dr. Pitetti stated. In any case, summon 911.
But, these tragedies can be prevented if we all watch children around water. Never leave a child unsupervised around water, inside or outside of the house because it only takes a few minutes for a child to drown. There is no substitute for active supervision.
Remember, we all want to keep children safe and secure and help them live to their full potential. Knowing how to prevent leading causes of child injury, like drowning, is a step toward this goal.
Children are an important part of the Air Force family's Quest-for-Zero no-mishap goals, so as adults let's continue to employ risk management during these warm weather months for ourselves and for our children.
(Some portions of this article thanks to cdc.gov, poolsafety.gov, webmd.com and abbeyshope.org)