Babies Drown in Less Than 1 Inch of Water

Key Facts

• Since 1999, an average of more than 815 children ages 14 and under have died as a result of unintentional drowning each year.

• In 2008, 745 children ages 14 and under died from unintentional drowning.

Where, When and How

• Swimming pools are the most common site for a drowning to occur among children between the ages 1 and 4 years.

• Approximately 72 percent of pool submersion deaths and 55 percent of pool submersion injuries occur at a home.

• According to a national study of drowning-related incidents involving children, a parent or caregiver claimed to be supervising the child in nearly nine out of 10 child drowning-related deaths.

• Two-thirds of drowning deaths occur in the summer, between May and August, and most commonly on the weekends.

• The majority of infant (less than 1 year old) drowning deaths happen in bathtubs or large buckets.

Home Drowning Prevention Tips

• Always stay within an arm’s reach of your child when he or she is in or near the bathtub, toilet, pools, spas or buckets. Never leave your child alone or in the care of older children during bath time.

• Once bath time is over, immediately drain the tub.

• Empty all buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside-down and out of children’s reach.

• Keep toilet lids closed and use toilet seat locks.

• Never leave your child unattended in a tub or around any other body of water, even if he or she knows how to swim.

• Keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.

• Children in baby bath seats and rings must be watched every second.

Proven Interventions

• Four-sided isolation fencing around home pools could prevent 50 to 90 percent of childhood drownings and near-drownings. When used properly, door alarms, pool alarms and automatic pool covers add an extra layer of protection.

• The use of specially-made drain covers, safety vacuum-release systems, multiple filter pumps and other pressure-venting pool filter mechanisms can reduce the risk of entrapment.
• Infant Swim Self Rescue™ Survival Swimming Lessons

There are 15 ISR certified instructors teaching within 10 miles of Land O Lakes. Please visit InfantSwim.com for more information or view this video on Infant Swim Self Rescue at http://vimeo.com/4150650

for more information visit safekids.org