UPDATE/RELATED: Why do toddlers have accidents? Common toddler accidents
A new study released on June 20, 2011 from the Center for Injury and Research Policy, during the summer in the United States reveals, “a child drowns in a portable pool every 5 days!” The danger is even higher here in Florida because our winter is so short and sometimes the summer seems to last 10 months out of the year. Florida made up the largest percentage of U.S. drowning deaths ages 1-4 (also highest rate in the country). Approximately two-thirds of drowning deaths in Florida for ages 4 years old and under occur every year in swimming pools.
Although inexpensive portable pools can offer low income families a great way for their children to have fun and cool down during the hot summer months, unfortunately these pools can also offer potentially life threatening dangers if the proper pool safety tips are not followed.
If you have an in ground pool in your backyard, there are a lot of mandatory safety requirements. For example, you must have a fence (or barrier) around the entire pool with gates that lock or with latches at heights too high for toddlers to reach.
“Because portable pools are generally small, inexpensive and easy to use, parents often do not think about the potential dangers these pools present,” said Dr. Gary A. Smith, senior author of the study. The smaller portable pools are usually left full of water in the yard, filled with toys and inflatables that are basically calling for a curious toddler towards them.
Based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 30% of the children 1 to 4 years old who died from an accidental injury died from drowning in 2007. In 2009, 68% of drowning victims under age five drowned in a swimming pool, 8% in a bathtub, and 13% in natural/open water. Just think about it, would you leave your toddler alone in the bathtub in 2-3 inches of water? So why would you think it was safe to not keep a constant watch on them while they were in 6-12 inches (or more) of water?
African American children are much more likely to suffer life threatening injuries or fatalities around water than other ethnic groups of the same age.
African Americans were 1.3 times more likely to die from drowning than whites.
The statistics for African American children between the ages of 5-14 show they are more than 3 times more likely to die from drowning than white children of the same age.
Among racial groups, African Americans reported the most limited swimming ability.
USA Swimming’s study in 2008 found that if the parent could not swim or had a fear of drowning, their children would be most likely held back from learning to swim or be given limited access to swimming lessons because it was considered too dangerous.
“Nearly six out of 10 African American and Hispanic/Latino children are unable to swim, nearly twice as many as their Caucasian counterparts”
According to a 2001-2005 study by the Florida Department of Health, Florida has the highest drowning death rate in the country for children ages 1-4 years.
In 2003, 18% of children who drowned in the US were from Florida, the most of any state.
In 2005, 68 children ages 1-4 years drowned in Florida, 43 in swimming pools (63%).
71%of cases accessed the pool through a door leading from the home to the pool area.
Most drownings occurred while the caregiver was engaged in routine household activity (using the bathroom, cooking/eating, talking, watching TV, reading, etc.) that allowed a lapse in supervision of the toddler to occur.
The most alarming statistic was that almost one-half of the young children who suffered injury from pool related incidents shows that the child was last seen in the house, not even close to the pool area. Therefore one of the most important safety efforts must be keeping the child from getting to the pool without an adult. Here in Florida a lot of patios and backyard entryways are through sliding glass doors. If at all possible have some kind of alarm on the doors that give access to the pool area.
Here are a few more safety tips to help keep children safe around the pool this summer:
Constant adult supervision (just like having a designated driver, have designated adult pool attendants who will not be distracted by playing cards, using cell phone, reading, etc.)
When watching preschool aged children the adult should be close enough to reach the child at all times.
Clear pool area of all toys after each pool use
If possible, empty portable pool of all water after each use. Or cover and lock.
Fence or enclose the area where the portable pool will be used.
Consider swimming lessons (the younger the child the easier they will learn to swim)
Sources: http://injuryresearch.net/portablepools.aspx
http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Water-Safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pool.pdf; http://swimfoundation.org/page.aspx?pid=264
