ArticlesCategory: Safety Drowning is a Leading Cause of Death for Children

Contact: David Horning
636.248.0771

Safe Kids St. Charles County Offers Pool and Spa Safety Tips

St. Peters — Drowning is the number two cause of accidental death for children ages 14 and under. For children ages five and under, close to 350 drown in residential swimming pools each year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).  Overall, approximately 810 children have died each year from 2001 to 2005 due to accidental drownings, and on average, an estimated 3,600 children go to the emergency room after near-drowning incidents a year.

“Kids drown quickly and quietly,” said David Horning, coordinator of Safe Kids Safe Kids St. Charles County.   “A drowning child cannot cry or shout for help. If a child is missing, always check the pool first — there’s no time to spare.”

Even a near-drowning incident can have lifelong consequences. Kids who survive near-drowning may have brain damage; after four to six minutes under water, the damage is usually irreversible.

“The most important precaution is active supervision. Simply being near your child is not necessarily supervising,” said David Horning.  Although 94 percent of parents say they supervise their children while swimming, many acknowledge that they engage in other distracting activities at the same time — for example, talking, eating, reading or taking care of another child.

“A supervised child is in sight at all times with your undivided attention focused on the child,” said David Horning. When there are children in or near the water, adults should take turns serving as the designated “Water Watcher,” paying undivided attention. (Visit www.usa.safekids.org/water to download a free Water Watcher badge.)

New Pool/Spa Law Will Help Save Lives
On Dec. 19, 2007, President Bush signed the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007 into law.  The law is named for the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James A. Baker, III.  Graeme died tragically at the age of 7 in 2002 after being trapped under water due to the suction from a spa drain.

The law will make it illegal to manufacture, distribute or sell drain covers that do not adhere to the standards for anti-entrapment safety set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).  Another important component of the law is that it will establish a grant program to reward states that adopt comprehensive pool and spa safety laws mandating that pools and spas have certain safety devices.  Additionally, the law will create a national drowning prevention education program and media campaign administered by the CPSC.  For additional information, please visit the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act Advocacy Web Page on the Safe Kids site.

To help keep kids safe this pool season, Safe Kids St. Charles County recommends these precautions:

  • If you have a pool or spa, or if your child visits a home that has a pool or spa, it should be surrounded on all four sides by a fence at least five feet high with gates that close and latch automatically. Studies estimate that this type of isolation fencing could prevent 50 percent to 90 percent of child drownings in residential pools.
  • A pool or spa should be equipped with an anti-entrapment drain cover and a safety vacuum release system to prevent children from being caught in the suction of the drain. The powerful suction forces can trap a child underwater or cause internal injuries.
  • Don’t leave toys in or near the pool, where they could attract unsupervised kids. For extra protection, consider a pool alarm and alarms on the doors, windows and gates leading to the pool.
  • Enroll your kids in swimming lessons around age 4, but don’t assume swimming lessons make your child “drownproof.” There is no substitute for active supervision.
  • Remember: inflatable swimming toys such as “water wings” and noodles are not flotation devices and do not prevent drowning.
  • Learn infant and child CPR. In less than two hours, you can learn effective interventions that can give a fighting chance to a child whose breathing and heartbeat have stopped.
  • Keep rescue equipment, a phone and emergency numbers by the pool.

These guidelines apply to inflatable and portable pools, not just in-ground pools. A child can drown in just an inch of water. Kiddie pools should be emptied and stored out of reach when not in use.

For more information about drowning and water safety, call Safe Kids St. Charles County at 636/248.0771 or visit www.usa.safekids.org/water. Safe Kids St. Charles County works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading killer of children 14 and under. Safe Kids St. Charles County is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury. Safe Kids St. Charles County is led by Central County Fire & Rescue.
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