· Back to Health Topics

Drowning Is Preventable
Drownings and near drownings are preventable. To help you understand the actions you should take to protect your children, below are age specific recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Newborn to 4 Years of Age

• Never – even for a moment – leave your child alone in a bathtub, spa or wading pool, or near irrigation ditches, post holes or other sources of open standing water.
• Swimming lesions for children younger than 4 will NOT provide “drown proofing” and may lead to a false sense of security.
• Rigid, motorized pool covers are not a substitute for four-sided fencing. Pool covers are not likely to be used appropriately and consistently. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that installation of four-sided fencing isolating the pool from the house and yard has been shown to decrease the number of pool immersion injuries by more than 50 percent.
• Parents should learn CPR and keep a telephone and equipment approved by the U.S. Coast Guard (eg, life preservers, life jackets, shepherd’s crook) at poolside.

5 to 12 Years of Age

• Teach your child to never swim alone or without adult supervision.
• Require that your child use an approved flotation device whenever riding on a boat or fishing, and preferably while playing near a river, lake or beach.
• Make sure your child understands why jumping or diving into water can result in injury. Parents should know the depth of the water and the location of underwater hazards before permitting children to jump or dive.

13 to 19 Years of Age

• Counsel your child about the dangers of alcohol and other drug consumption during aquatic recreation activities, such as swimming, diving and boating.
• Encourage your child to learn CPR.
• Require that your child use an approved flotation device whenever riding on a boat or fishing, and preferably while playing near a river, lake or ocean.
• Make sure your child understands why jumping or diving into water can result in injury.

General Water Safety Tips
Below are additional tips provided by the SAFE USA™ program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Never allow your children to swim alone or in unsupervised places. Teach your children the importance of always swimming with a friend.
• Never drink alcohol before or during swimming, boating or water skiing. If you are supervising children in or near water, do NOT drink alcohol.
• To prevent choking, never chew gum or eat while swimming, diving or playing in water.
• Do not use air-filled swimming aids (eg, “water wings”) in lieu of life jackets or life preservers.
• Always check the depth before jumping or diving into water. The American Red Cross recommends a minimum depth of nine feet for diving or jumping.

Tips for Open Water Activities

• Know the local weather conditions and forecast before swimming or boating. Thunderstorms and strong winds are dangerous to swimmers and boaters.
• Only allow your children to swim in designated swimming areas, usually marked by buoys, where a lifeguard is present.
• Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (life jackets) when boating, regardless of the distance traveled, type of boat or swimming ability.
• Remember open water usually has limited visibility and conditions can sometimes change from hour to hour.

Drowning Characteristics by Age

Tips to Remember

• Never leave your childalone near water - not even for a moment.
• Install a four-sided fence around your pool. Do NOT rely on pool alarms.
• Select a "Designated Child Watcher" at all social functions.
• Never rely on swimming lessons or flotation devices to make your child "drown-proof."
• Teach pool safety rules.
• Check the depth before jumping or diving into water.
• Learn CPR.