Safe Kids Worldwide releases safety tips for prevention of open water drowning

A research report from Safe Kids Worldwide found that in 2016, more than 1,000 people younger than 19 years of age drowned.

“If we look at children between the ages of 1 and 4, of the fatal drownings, 57% of them drown in a pool and only 22% drown in open water,” Morag MacKay, director of research at Safe Kids Worldwide, told Healio.com/Orthopedics. “When we get up to 15- to 19-year-olds, 73% of them drown in open water and only 9% drown in a pool.”

To raise awareness and reduce the risks of open water drowning, Safe Kids Worldwide provided safety tips for families.

Be aware of open water hazards

In an interview with Healio.com/Orthopedics, MacKay noted limited visibility in open water can make it difficult to see hazards, such as sudden drops, and makes it harder to see someone who is in trouble in the water. People can also get into trouble when they swim out too far and realize they cannot swim back, she said.

“We often recommend that people swim parallel to shore when they are in open water for reasons like that,” MacKay said.

MacKay noted swimmers should be aware of currents and tides in open water sources, which may not be visible above water and may be stronger depending on the time of year.

“We talk to families about avoiding swimming in unsupervised beaches or in areas that are not designated for swimming, looking for signage with respect to rip currents and also learning about how to recognize, avoid and handle them if they are going to swim in the ocean,” she said.

Water temperature can also have a strong impact on how a swimmer reacts, according to MacKay. Cold shocks may cause swimmers to panic and begin the drowning process. Swimmers should pay attention to weather and seasonal differences, MacKay said, which can add hazards to open water like stronger currents, changes in depth and visibility issues.

“We always recommend that parents be aware of any manmade storm channels or holding ponds and keep kids away from them,” MacKay said. “Also, if they are planning to be out in or on open water, that they check the weather and the water conditions before they leave home and again when they arrive, and stay alert for changes when they are at the site so that in the event the weather changes, they are getting out of the water and making sure everyone is safe.”

Parental supervision required

When in or around open water, MacKay recommends parents maintain supervision of young children and inexperienced swimmers, keeping them within arms-reach and wearing a life jacket. MacKay added young children should learn to swim at an early age to reduce the risk of drowning.

“Every child’s different, so enroll them in swimming lessons when they are ready, but the American Academy of Pediatrics sort of recommends [that] at about age 4 on, there is evidence to suggest that learning to swim can reduce the risk and it certainly gives one more layer of protection,” she said.

Older children should always swim with a partner, and parents should be aware of where they are swimming, according to MacKay. She added teens should be aware of the hazards of open water swimming and know basic water rescue skills or CPR.

“It is important for parents to learn basic water rescue skills and CPR themselves, particularly if you are out at open water,” MacKay said. “It may be a more remote location than say the community pool and, therefore, it may take emergency medical services a little bit longer to reach them. [If] somebody has basic rescue skills and can get them out of the water and start CPR before the EMS arrives, you increase the chances that they survive.” – by Casey Tingle

Reference:

www.safekids.org/blog/keeping-kids-safe-open-water

Disclosure: The Safe Kids Worldwide research report received support from Nationwide’s Make Safe Happen Program.