We Always Want the Summer Months to Be Filled With Fun and Great Times.
And Having Fun Also Means Being Aware of Your Surroundings and Being Safe.
Most of Us Like to Spend Time at the Beach or Poolside…..I know I do.
So Make a Pact With Yourself and Your Loved Ones That From Now On…..
WATER FUN = WATER SAFETY!!!
With the warm weather finally here, please take the time to be safe and aware of your surroundings and children while enjoying the water.
3.5K People DIE ANNUALLY in the U.S. from UNINTENTIONAL DROWNING
According to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC):
3,533 fatal unintentional drownings, Annually (USA)
10 deaths per day.
1 in 5 people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.
*****More Children, 1 to 4 years of age, die from DROWNING, than any other cause of death except birth defects*******
For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.
Nearly 80% of people who die from drowning are male.
Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates.
******In 2009, among children 1 to 4 years old who died from an unintentional injury, more than 30% died from drowning
African Americans, Specifically Children, Are Disproportionately Victims of Drowning…
Here Are the Facts…..
- The fatal drowning rate of African American children ages 5 to 14 is almost three times that of white children in the same age range.
2. The disparity is most pronounced in swimming pools
3. African American children, ages 5-19, drown in swimming pools at rates 5.5 times higher than those of whites.
4. This disparity is greatest among those 11-12 years where African Americans drown in swimming pools at rates 10 times those of whites.
Why???
INABILITY TO SWIM
What Can We Do????
Olympian, Cullen Jones, and USA Swimming Have Created ‘Make A Splash’.
An Initiative to Promote Swimming and Safety in the African American Community.
Risk Factors For Drowning:
1. Lack of Swimming Ability
2. Lack of Barriers, ex. fencing around pools
3. Lack of Close Supervision
4. Location-Pool vs. Natural water settings.
***Children 1-4 most often drown in home swimming pools***
5. Failure to wear life jackets
6. Alcohol Use
7. Seizure Disorders-unintentional home bathtub drowning
What Can We Do?
1. Learn CPR
2. Have life vests available
3. Barriers around swimming pools……Keep Curious Kids OUT!!!!
4. Avoid Alcohol
5. Have a swim buddy
6. Learn To Swim
7. Supervision for those with seizure disorder
8. Know local weather conditions before boating/swimming
9. Obey warning signs
10. If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore. Once free of the current, swim diagonally toward shore.
Take Swimming lessons:
1. Contact Park District in your area
2. ymca.org
3. ywca.org
Are There Any Concerns Regarding Water Safety After We Get Out of the Water????
YES.
DRY DROWNING a.k.a. Secondary Drowning
If a Child Inhales Water Into the Lungs, the Vocal Cords Can Spasm
- Can Occur Up to 24 Hours After Swimming or Bathing
- Distressful Breathing
- Constant Coughing
- Extreme Sleepiness
- Vomiting
- Unusual Behavior
***If You Notice Any of the Above Signs or Symptoms in a Child Who Has Been in Water Within the Last 24 Hours……Go to the ER for Evaluation and Treatment!!!*****
Please Check Out the Additional Resources Listed Below and SHARE!!!
1. Huff Post Article By Dr. Stephanie Robinson White regarding the critical need for CPR training and water safety for ourselves and our children.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephanie-white/sunblock-check-towels-che_b_10613792.html
2. CDC Has a Multitude of Great Swim Safety Pointers….
http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/steps-healthy-swimming.html
http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Water-Safety/index.html
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/safe-swimming-diving
3. Learn CPR
http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr
http://cprtrainingschools.com/
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/CPR_UCM_001118_SubHomePage.jsp
4. Swimming Lessons
http://www.ymcachicago.org/greaterlagrange/programs/swimming?gclid=CLzkyrLZwM0CFQEJaQodvbwHVw
http://www.worldslargestswimminglesson.org/
If You Are in Greenville, SC, please check out the link below for FREE SWIMMING LESSONS!!!!!
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/32299045/greenville-co-offers-free-swimming-lessons-on-friday
5. National Rip Current Awareness Month
http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/
6. Dry Drowning
www.parenting.com/child/safety/what-you-need-to-know-about-dry-drowning
7. Make A Splash. USA Swimming and Cullen Jones
www.usaswimming.org
www.makeasplash.org
Above All Else, Please Take the Time to Learn How to Swim and How to Perform CPR. The Life You Save May Very Well Be Your Own or Someone You Hold Dear!!!!
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Have a Great Summer and HAVE FUN!!!!!
As Always,
Stay safe.
Take care.
Be well.
Lisa Whitty Bradley, M.D., FACS
CEO & Founder
Chick With MDs, LLC
www.chickswithmds.com