Parenting Advice From Your Physicians at Kaiser Permanente

As a pediatrician, I have experienced firsthand the pain of tragically losing young patients to drowning. Because of what I’ve seen, I want to educate everyone about the importance of water safety.

I’m a mom of three young and vivacious kids. Like many of you, I look forward to warm summer weather, when we spend time with friends and family outdoors grilling and swimming. Water can be a lot of fun, but also very dangerous when the appropriate barriers and safety measures aren’t followed. Drowning can happen in as little as 1 inch of water and within 30 seconds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that drowning is the single leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of injury-related death for children up to age 14. In the United States there are around 4,000 drowning deaths per year, or 11 per day.

The scariest thing about child drowning is that it can happen quickly and silently. But – there is lots a parent can do to prevent it from happening.

We all know children are very curious and often drawn to water. While most preschool-aged children drown in swimming pools, most infant drownings occur in bathtubs and buckets. Drownings can happen any time a child is left unsupervised and has access to any standing water like hot tubs, spas, bathtubs, buckets, toilets, and natural bodies of water (lakes, rivers, oceans). Most children who drown are out of sight for less than five minutes.

Knowing how to swim reduces the risk of drowning, but it doesn’t prevent it; 59% of children between the ages of 5 to 14 who drowned knew how to swim. Having an adult present is critical, but that alone isn’t enough. Eighty-eight percent of child drownings took place when at least one adult was present, and 70% occurred during non-swimming time. Sadly, backyard pools and spas are where most drowning deaths occur in children under 5.

Fortunately, there are things we can all do to keep this summer safe and fun when around or in the water with our kids.

General water safety

• Never leave a child unsupervised near or in the water.
• Check the water first if a child is missing.
• Provide active, focused adult supervision 100% of the time when children are near or in the water.
• Have your child wear a life jacket to protect them when they aren’t expecting to be in the water, like on docks, riverbeds, and when boating. Only use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets that fit properly and are strapped and belted.
• Don’t rely on inflatable flotation devices such as vests, water wings, rafts, and tubes which can give a false sense of security and are not effective protection from drowning.
• Instruct children never to swim alone.
• Have children swim in designated areas only when in open water.
• Teach children to swim from an early age. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends starting as early as age 1.
• Learn CPR.

Pool and spa safety

• Make sure all pools have a fence that surrounds all 4 sides, especially the side that separates the house from the pool. The fence should be non-climbable, at least 4 feet high, and be self-closing and self-latching.
• Use pool alarms, covers, and door locks to add an extra layer of protection.
• Remove ladders and cover and lock spas when not in use.
• Keep children who don’t know how to swim well within an arm’s reach when in the water.
• Make sure that at least one adult (who knows how to swim) is the designated “water watcher” at all times. At gatherings, adults can take turns providing complete, uninterrupted attention to the kids in the water. While acting as water watcher, adults should avoid alcohol, phones, and other distractions.
• Have children wear bright colored swimsuits.
• Remove tempting toys from in or around the pool and spas.

At-home safety

• Never leave an infant or child unsupervised in the bathtub.
• Drain the tub as soon as bath time is over.
• Keep bathroom and laundry room doors closed.
• Keep toilet lids closed. Use toilet seat locks to help prevent drowning.
• Empty pails and kiddie pools immediately after using them.

Drowning doesn’t look like what most of us imagine it to be. You may think that if a child is drowning, they would be flapping their arms, splashing, and screaming for help. But that might not be the case; there might not be any noise at all. You may see their head low or tilted back with their mouth at water level. Their hair may be over their face and their eyes closed or glassy, empty, and unable to focus. You may see hyperventilating or gasping, and kids trying to swim in a particular direction but not making progress. All these signs can indicate distress.

In the tragic event that a child is pulled from water and is unresponsive, immediately have someone call 911 and start CPR as soon as they’re out of the water. Many organizations such as the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association offer CPR training courses, both online and in-person.

As summertime approaches and you start to plan more activities outdoors, remember to put these practices into place. And every child should learn how to swim—it can decrease their risk of drowning by as much as 88%.

Drowning is quick, silent, and preventable. Together, we can help prevent tragedies and put an end to childhood drowning.

Resources for Parents

American Academy of Pediatrics
Pool Dangers and Drowning Prevention―When It’s Not Swimming Time

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Drowning Prevention