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In my experience in pediatric health care, most of the "near drownings" or drowning victims that I have seen were actually in the care of multiple adults when the accident happened. Everyone thinks that the child is being watched by someone else... "I thought he was with you" sort of thing. I have cared for several toddlers who drowned at family events, reunions....
Always make sure you know that someone is watching, really, really watching a child around water.
I always had my trusty "Pack N Play" whenever we went to a pool or beach. If my toddler was not with me, he/she was safe. I loved that "kid cage". They are so quick at that age. The new ones even have a sun shade.
What I don't understand is leaving kids/babies in a car, and forgetting they are there?! Happens here all the time...
In my experience in pediatric health care, most of the "near drownings" or drowning victims that I have seen were actually in the care of multiple adults when the accident happened. Everyone thinks that the child is being watched by someone else... "I thought he was with you" sort of thing. I have cared for several toddlers who drowned at family events, reunions....
Always make sure you know that someone is watching, really, really watching a child around water.
Fortunately, in all the years I've worked in pediatrics, I've never seen a drowning or near drowning. However, I've read tons of articles in all sorts of journals from parenting magazines to the American Journal of Public Health, and the above is emphasized a lot. IIRC, the states with the most drownings (per capita wise) are CA, AZ and FL, states with large numbers of pools.
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Originally Posted by malamute
The other thing if a family wants a pool so badly is to get their children swimming lessons at very young ages -- a smart thing to do even without a pool. They have swim classes for newborns on up.
We've had drownings of toddlers here even where the family was having a party and plenty of people were around. They just had too much to drink and were involved socializing and everyone forgot to watch the 3 year old around the pool. Alcohol and drug use aren't helping.
Just don't let the swim classes give you (generically, not you specifically) a false sense of security. Kids always need to be watched. Do not entrust older kids at a family reunion, etc to watch the younger ones, either. They get distracted and just don't do it.
The other thing if a family wants a pool so badly is to get their children swimming lessons at very young ages -- a smart thing to do even without a pool. They have swim classes for newborns on up.
We've had drownings of toddlers here even where the family was having a party and plenty of people were around. They just had too much to drink and were involved socializing and everyone forgot to watch the 3 year old around the pool. Alcohol and drug use aren't helping.
A two-year-old girl fell into a pool at a backyard barbecue that I know of. None of the adults noticed, but a ten-year-old boy playing on the other side of the yard saw it and ran like hell, jumped in, and pulled her out. Thank God he saw it or she would have been dead.
I know a much darker story. I went to a party some years ago and there was a guy who was just totally totally wasted, like he couldn't drink fast enough. The hostess told me that his wife had gone to the store and left their two-year-old home with him. They had a lake behind their house and a rowboat. The father decided to take a shower and left the two-year-old alone, thinking he'd be fine in the house by himself. He got out of the shower, and the wife came home, and they couldn't find the boy. Finally found him outside in the water, wedged between the rowboat and dock. I guess he'd decided to go to the boat. The marriage ended and the father was just drinking himself to death.
Children can drown in minutes without anyone being aware they are in trouble even if they are watching.
Thank you very much for posting that. It's invaluable information that I encourage everyone to read. A horrifying quote:
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To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC).
I always had my trusty "Pack N Play" whenever we went to a pool or beach. If my toddler was not with me, he/she was safe. I loved that "kid cage". They are so quick at that age. The new ones even have a sun shade. What I don't understand is leaving kids/babies in a car, and forgetting they are there?! Happens here all the time...
I also don't understand why some people would leave their young kids/babies in a car. Not only do they lack the ability to get out of the car, but leaving them unattended is just asking for a kidnapping. It's a bad situation just waiting to happen.
It's sad that it only takes a few inches of water for a child to drown in.
What I don't understand is leaving kids/babies in a car, and forgetting they are there?! Happens here all the time...
Every year there are a few of these tragic, sad stories where a baby or toddler is forgotten or left in a car and dies. The parent is devastated and the public is shocked and judgmental about how someone accidentally could ever leave an infant or child in the car.
Yet, every single day parents all over the country make the decision to drive their car with their young child unrestrained or improperly restrained. Many, many more children are killed or seriously injured by their parent's decision - not forgetfulness - to drive around without using a proper child safety seat.
There are weird and scary things out there that can harm our children, but we can't let up our guard about the common sense protection like car seats!
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Not only do they lack the ability to get out of the car, but leaving them unattended is just asking for a kidnapping. It's a bad situation just waiting to happen. 
