The soaring temperatures of summer bring out water-lovers in droves, especially children who revel in the refreshment of splashing about. But parents beware. From bathtubs, backyard pools and ponds, to irrigation ditches, rivers and lakes, drowning claimed the lives of 2,875 children in the United States from 1993 to 1995. This alarming statistic puts drowning as the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children under 15 years of age.
Rural children face the highest danger of drowning at three times the rate of urban children.
Children under 4 and those between 15 and 19 years of age face the most risk of drowning. And for every child who dies as a result of drowning, there are three to four children who are hospitalized in near-drowning incidents. Most children who drown are out of sight of supervision for less than five minutes. Schaefer is a staff member of the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. Although the statistics are frightening, parents can help ensure the safety of their children with common sense and through following water safety guidelines.