Hello again Benfranklin,
My search returned the following results for statistics on drowning
related accidents and causes in children in the United States.
From The National Safety Council:
“Drowning claims the lives of over 4,000 people every year. Although
all age groups are represented, children 0-4 have the highest death
rate due to drowning.”
“In 1998, 500 children under the age of five drowned. Most drowning
and near-drowning happen when a child falls into a pool or is left
alone in the bathtub.”
National Safety Council
http://www.nsc.org/library/facts/drown.htm
===============================================
From The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
“For every child who drowns, six receive emergency department care for
near-drowning or non-fatal submersion injuries.”
(..)
“In 2000, 943 children ages 0 to 14 years died from drowning (CDC
2002). While drowning rates have been declining slowly over time
(Branche 1999), it remains the second-leading cause of injury-related
death for children ages 1 to 14 (CDC 2002).”
Here are the groups at risk.
“African American infants under one year had a drowning rate 2.9 times
that of White children (CDC 2002). Many of these drownings occurred in
bathtubs and household buckets. Among children 1 to 4 years of age,
African Americans have a lower drowning rate than Whites; drownings in
this age group typically happen in residential swimming pools. African
American children ages 5 to 19 years drowned at 2.4 times the rate of
White children in this age group in 2000 (CDC 2002). As children get
older, drownings occur more often in open water areas such as ponds,
lakes, and rivers.”
The risk factors are:
- “Children under age one most often drown in bathtubs, buckets, and
toilets (Brenner et al. 2001).
- Among children ages 1 to 4 years, most drownings occur in
residential swimming pools (Brenner et al. 2001).”
Children who drown in residential pools had been:
- last seen inside their home;
- gone for less than 5 minutes; and
- in the care of either or both parents at the time.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drown.htm
===============================================
The National Safe Kids Campaign
http://www.safekids.org/tier2_rl.cfm?folder_id=540
provides statistics related to unintentional childhood injuries.
Children ages 1 to 4:
“The majority of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential
swimming pools and in open water sites. However, children can drown in
as little as 1 inch of water and are therefore at risk of drowning in
wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, toilets, spas and hot
tubs.”
(..)
“In 2000, 943 children ages 14 and under died as a result of
unintentional drowning. Children ages 4 and under accounted for more
than 60 percent of these deaths.”
“In 2001, nearly 4,700 children ages 14 and under were treated in
hospital emergency rooms for unintentional drowning-related
incidents”.
(..)
“More than half of drownings among infants (under age 1) occur in
bathtubs. Drownings in this age group also occur in toilets and
buckets. More than half of drownings among children ages 1 to 4 are
pool-related. Children ages 5 to 14 most often drown in open water
sites.”
“Since 1984, more than 327 children, 89 percent between the ages of 7
months and 15 months, have drowned in buckets containing water or
other liquids used for mopping floors and other household chores. It
is estimated that 30 children drown annually in buckets.”
“Approximately 10 percent of childhood drownings occur in bathtubs;
the majority of these occur in the absence of adult supervision. It
is estimated that eight children drown annually in baby bath
seat-related incidents.”
“Among children ages 4 and under, there are approximately 350
residential swimming pool drownings each year. More than half of
these drownings occur in the child's home pool, and one-third occur at
the homes of friends, neighbors or relatives.”
“Since 1980, more than 230 children ages 4 and under have drowned in
spas and hot tubs.
(..)
“Drownings and near-drownings tend to occur on Saturdays and Sundays
(40 percent) and between the months of May and August (66 percent).”
“Drowning fatality rates are higher in southern and western states
than in other regions of the United States. Rural areas have higher
death rates than urban or suburban areas, in part due to decreased
access to emergency medical care.”
(..)
“Male children have a drowning rate two to four times that of female
children. However, females have a bathtub drowning rate twice that of
males.”
“Low-income children are at greater risk from non-swimming pool
drownings.”
The National Safe Kids Campaign
http://www.safekids.org/tier3_cd.cfm?folder_id=540&content_item_id=1032
===============================================
“Compared with in-ground pools without four-sided fencing, 60 percent
fewer drownings occur in in-ground pools with four-sided isolation
fencing.”
“For boys between the ages of 1 and 3 who have drowned, most of the
victims were being supervised by one or both parents at the time of
the drowning.”
“Children under the age of one most often drown in bathtubs, buckets,
and toilets.”
“Children between the ages of 1 and 4 most often drown in swimming
pools, hot tubs, and spas.”
“Children between the ages of 5 and 14 most often drown in swimming
pools and open water, like lakes and rivers. “
Statistical Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.edgarsnyder.com/injured/swimming_pool/statistics.html
===============================================
Drowning and Aquatic Injury Facts by Gerald M. Dworkin (2002)
Swimming:
- “57,900,000 participants / 99,691 injuries associated with swimming,
swimming pools, pool slides, diving or diving boards, and swimming
pool equipment.”
Under Age 5
11.8%
Ages 5 to 14
43.8%
Ages 15 to 24
17.4%
Ages 25 to 64
24.3%
65 & over 2.7%
Leading Causes of Death in the United States for 1 to 4 Years
1. Unintentional Injuries
• Motor vehicle
• Drowning
• Fires, Burns
• Ingestion of food, object
• Mechanical suffocation
• All other unintentional injuries
2. Congenital anomalies
3. Homicide and legal intervention
4. Cancer
5. Heart disease
http://198.66.37.82/issues/articles/DrowningFacts.html
===============================================
Masry & Vititoe law offices state:
“California leads the nation in swimming pool related injuries and
deaths in the United States. Swimming accidents claim the lives of
over 1,000 children each year and accidents in swimming pools account
for over 1/3 of those fatalities.”
(..)
“Most swimming pool injuries occur because of improperly designed and
constructed pools, failure to properly secure a pool from small
children, and failure to maintain the swimming pool in good
condition.”
Masry & Vititoe
http://www.masryvititoe.com/swimming_pool_accidents.shtml
===============================================
Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death for
school-age children and the number one cause for preschoolers.
“Two-thirds of drownings happen in the summer months: 40% occur on
Saturday and Sunday. Some 90% occur in fresh water even in states with
large coastal regions. More than half of these cases occur in home
swimming pools.”
(..)
“Children less than age 1 year tend to drown in bathtubs and buckets
because they are not coordinated enough to get out by themselves when
they fall in. Older children age 1-4 drown in swimming pools, while
those age 5-14 years tend to drown in lakes, ponds, rivers, and
oceans.
(..)
“States with the highest drowning rate are Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho,
Louisiana, Montana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oregon, and Florida.”
Source: eMedicine.com
http://www.emedicine.com/aaem/topic166.htm
==============================================
From a 2001 National Institutes of Health News Release:
“According to a major study in the July 2001 issue of Pediatrics,
infants are most likely to drown inside the home (in bathtubs or
buckets) and toddlers are most likely to drown in swimming pools or
hot tubs. Older children and adolescents are most likely to drown in
ponds, lakes, and streams (many toddlers drown here too). Boys are far
more likely to drown than girls. Kids are most likely to drown during
the ages of most active exploration. Overall, toddlers and adolescents
are at the highest risk, with the peak ages of drowning at 1-4 years
old and 15-19 years old.”
“Infants are most likely to drown in bathtubs, toddlers in swimming
pools, and older children in other freshwater sites such as rivers and
lakes, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Child
Health and Human Development (NICHD).”
(..)
About 1,500 children drown each year in the United States. Consistent
with previous studies, the new study found that toddlers and
adolescent males had increased risks of drowning, and, among
adolescent males, rates were higher for African Americans than whites.
(..)
“Among infants, the majority (78 percent) of drownings occurred in the
home, primarily in bathtubs. Toddlers between the ages of one and four
years were most likely to drown in artificial pools (56 percent), but
other freshwater sites also accounted for a sizable proportion of
drownings (26 percent). Children over five were most likely to drown
in freshwater: 54 percent, 61 percent, and 69 percent among 5-9,
10-14, and 15-19 year-olds, respectively.”
(..)
“Among females, drowning rates were low after the age of five years,
but African American females were also at increased risk of drowning
in a swimming pool compared to white females of the same age.”
National Institutes of Health
July 2, 2001
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/new/releases/drowning.cfm
==============================================
The following study address childhood drowning incidences.
Where children drown, United States, 1995.
Brenner RA, Trumble AC, Smith GS, Kessler EP, Overpeck MD.
Pediatrics. 2001 Jul;108(1):85-9.
“Among children between the ages of 1 to 4 years, 56% of drownings
were in artificial pools and 26% were in other bodies of freshwater.
Among older children, 63% of drownings were in natural bodies of
freshwater. Site-specific drowning rates varied by race. Importantly,
after the age of 5 years, the risk of drowning in a swimming pool was
greater among black males compared with white males with rate ratios
of 15.1 (95% confidence interval: 6.7-38.5) among 10- to 14-year-olds
and 12.8 (95% confidence interval: 6.5-26.9) among 15- to
19-year-olds.”
National Library of Medicine: PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11433058&dopt=Abstract
==============================================
One of the main reasons children drown in pools is due to no one
watching them
From a 2001 Virginia State Child Fatality Review:
“Drowning was the mechanism of injury in eight of the unintentional
injury deaths to young children in 1998. These drownings occurred in a
variety of places, including swimming pools, bathtubs, and public
bodies of water. Consistent with findings in other drowning studies,
the lack of age-appropriate supervision of the infant or young child
by an adult was the most significant factor in the drowning in many of
the reviewed cases. In this review, lack of supervision was more
significant than other factors such as improperly enclosed swimming
pools or the use of flotation devices.”
Logan, Pamela, Christine M. Branche, Jeffrey J. Sacks, George Ryan,
and John Peddicord. Childhood Drownings and Fencing of Outdoor Pools
in the United States,
1994. Pediatrics 101(6): e3, 1998.
Virginia State Child Fatality Review
http://www.vdh.state.va.us/medexam/report.pdf
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This study shows that many toddlers drown in unfenced swimming pools.
Toddler drowning in domestic swimming pools.
Blum C, Shield J.
“More than half of the children studied drowned in unfenced pools and
spas. In not one case did a child gain unaided access to a pool fitted
with a fully functional gate and fence that met the Australian
standard. Where children gained access to fenced pools, the majority
did so via faulty or inadequate gates, or through gates that were
propped open.”
National Library of Medicine: PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11144630&dopt=Abstract
==============================================
The NSW Water Safety Taskforce of Australia commissioned a report
which analyses drownings of children aged 0-5. The aim of the report
was to look for common factors across those cases.
According to the report, the two most common contributing factors to
drowning in natural bodies of water were lack of direct adult
supervision and the behavior of the child themselves.
You may download the report from this direct link.
http://www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/assets/pubs/water/sw_drown01.pdf
==============================================
From The National Children's Center:
Drowning: Contributing Factors
“Seventy-eight percent of infant drowning victims were not
supervised.”
Quan L, Gore EJ, Wentz K, Allen J, Novack AH. Ten-year study of
pediatric drownings and near drownings in King County, Washington:
Lessons in injury prevention. Pediatrics 1989;83:1035-1040.
“Personal flotation devices are worn by 63% of children 5 to 14 years
old, in contrast to 91% for children under 5 years old while boating.”
Quan L, Bennett E, Cummings PC, Trusty M, Treser C. Are life vests
worn? A multiregional observational study of life vest use in small
boats. Injury Prevention 1998;4:203-205.
National Children's Center - Drowning Prevention Facts
http://research.marshfieldclinic.org/children/resources/drowning/factsheet.htm
==============================================
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pool
fencing is not enough to prevent drowning among young children.
“The majority of drownings among the youngest Americans would not have
been prevented if all pools in the U.S. had adequate fencing. In a
CDC-funded study, researchers estimated that proper pool fencing would
have prevented about one-fifth of drownings among children under 5.
This finding suggests that additional strategies (e.g., pool covers,
alarms, community education) are needed to prevent drowning.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/fact_book/30_WaterRelated_Injuries.htm
==============================================
The following was contributed by Terri Jenkins, MD at Kidcheck.org
“All drownings should be presumed to have additional causes. Lack of
supervision and absence of barriers are the most common. Safety is
less than 10 meters away in 90% of cases.”
“Residential swimming pools account for half of all drowning in the US
but are the site of almost 90% of drowning events in children less
than 5 years of age. Children have also been reported to drown in
buckets, toilets, washing machines, and sinks. Children with epilepsy
are 4 to 10 times more at risk of drowning.”
Terri Jenkins, MD: Kidcheck 2002
http://www.kidcheck.org/safety/safety2.html
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Young children who drown in hot tubs, spas, and whirlpools in
California: a 26-year survey.
Shinaberger CS, Anderson CL, Kraus JF.
Am J Public Health. 1990 May;80(5):613-4
“A survey of drownings in hot tubs, spas, and whirlpools in California
1960-85 suggests a person- and site-specific profile. The identified
74 deaths occurred mostly in White children, under two years of age,
in Southern California, during the late afternoons, from May through
August. From 1967 to 1985, the drowning rate increased tenfold. The
deaths were associated with access to the water, lack of supervision,
neuromotor handicaps, and entrapment by suction.”
National Library of Medicine: PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2327545&dopt=Abstract
==============================================
Ten-Year Review of Pediatric Bathtub Near-Drownings: Evaluation for
Child Abuse and Neglect
“Twenty-one patients were treated for bathtub near-drownings during
the 10-year period, accounting for 24% of all submersion injuries. A
significant number (67%) had historic and/or physical findings
suspicious for abuse or neglect, including incompatible history for
the injury, other physical injuries, previous child abuse reports,
psychiatric history of the caretaker, and/or psychosocial concerns
noted in the chart. The mortality rate of 42% was significant
“Conclusion: Many children who are injured in the bathtub suffer from
abuse or neglect.”
[Lavelle JM, Shaw KN, Seidl T, Ludwig S: Ten-year review of pediatric
bathtub near-drownings: Evaluation for child abuse and neglect. Ann
Emerg Med March 1995;25:344-348.]
http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?retrieve=/pii/S0196064495000576&
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The following are just a few facts uncovered by the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in a comprehensive study of drowning
and submersion incidents involving children under 5 years old in
Arizona, California, and Florida.
“Seventy-five percent of the submersion victims studied by CPSC were
between I and 3 years old; 65 percent of this group were boys.
Toddlers, in particular, often do something unexpected because their
capabilities change daily.”
“At the time of the incidents, most victims were being supervised by
one or both parents. Forty-six percent of the victims were last seen
in the house; 23 percent were last seen in the yard or on the porch or
patio; and 31 percent were in or around the pool before the accident.
In all, 69 percent of the children were not expected to be at or in
the pool, yet they were found in the water.”
“Submersion incidents involving children usually happen in familiar
surroundings. Sixty-five percent of the incidents happened in a pool
owned by the child's family and 33 percent of the incidents happened
in a pool owned by friends or relatives.”
U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
Washington, DC
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/359.pdf
http://www.nidtac.org/nidtac/10things/thing-6.htm
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Search Criteria:
Children Drowning Statistics
U.S. drowning accident statistics
Children drowning accidents
Negligence when a child drowned
Drowning accident or negligence
Causes "swimming pool accidents"
"Swimming pool accidents" caused by parent’s negligence
U.S. drowning studies OR study
Drowning due to abuse and neglect
Drowning Statistics for the United States
Children and Drowning
Drowning: Contributing Factors
Water related injuries OR accidents Contributing Factors
I hope the above information meets your needs. If anything is unclear
or if a link does not function, please let me know and I'll be glad to
offer further assistance.
Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga |
