Children love to beat the summer heat by hopping in the swimming pool and splashing around in the water. While it may seem like all fun, parents should remember that swimming pool drownings are a leading cause of child fatalities in the Denver Colorado
Child Drowning Statistics
What exactly do we know about child drownings? Here are some statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to show the entirety and prevalence of this safety concern:
- Every day, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning.
- About one in five drowning victims are children 14 years old or younger.
- Children under 5 years old have the highest risk of drowning.
- On average, about 350 children die of drowning each year.
- African American children are 5.5x more likely to drown than white children.
- For every child that dies of drowning, another five children receive treatment in emergency rooms for nonfatal injuries.
Additionally, the CDC reports that most drownings result from:
- Lack of close supervision
- Inability to swim
- Lack of gates or other barriers around swimming pools
- Failure to wear life jackets
- Using alcohol while swimming or supervising others
- Seizure disorders
- Leaving toys in pools that attract children
How to Know If Someone Is Drowning
Drowning is often quick and silent, so knowing the signs to be aware of can help you take steps to protect children and keep them from potentially drowning. Here are some signs of drowning to look out for:
- Head low in the water with mouth at water level
- Head tilted back with mouth open
- Eyes closed or glassy, empty, and unable to focus
- Appears to be climbing an invisible ladder underwater
- Trying to swim in a certain direction but not making progress
- Vertical in water
- Hair over forehead or eyes
- Hyperventilating or gasping
We Are Here If You Need Us
If your child was injured on another person’s property, you may be able to pursue compensation through a premises liability claim in order to pay for damages related to medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more. At Larson Larimer Schneider, P.C., you have our word that we will do everything in our power to help you and your family recover after a traumatic accident.