The majority of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential swimming pools. Children can also drown in as little as one inch of water, putting them at risk of drowning in wading pools , bathtubs , buckets , diaper pails , toilets , spas and hot tubs . They can easily fall forward and head first when they lose their balance. Children ages 1 to 4 most often drown in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas. The majority of children who drown in swimming pools were last seen in the home, had been missing from sight for less than 5 minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning.
Male children have a drowning rate two to four times that of female children.
Female children have a bathtub drowning rate twice that of male children. Since 1971, drowning rates among young children have seen little change and have increased among infants. Among children age 4 and under, there are approximately 500 residential swimming pool drownings and 3,000 near-drownings requiring hospital emergency treatment each year. Since 1980, approximately 230 children age 4 and under have drowned in spas and hot tubs. Each year, approximately 100 children die from drowning.