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Region Poses Numerous Drowning Risks: Lifetime Doctor Recommends Supervision, Above All Else

ROCHESTER, NY —According to a report published last summer by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “drowning continues to be the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 19.” The AAP cites toddlers and teenage boys as being at the greatest risk. In this region of New York, backyard and community pools are joined as potential drowning hazards by freshwater resources that range from ponds and canals to the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. Many of these are still swollen from heavy spring rains. 

“Drownings are usually quick and quiet, so it is extremely important for parents to monitor children closely while they are in or near water,” says Mark Cohen, M.D., board-certified internist and pediatrician with Lifetime Health Medical Group. “Children should never be left unattended, even for just a minute.”

He notes this includes children too young to swim competently, as well as older children who have taken swimming lessons, as they can still be affected by accidental inhalation of water, head injury, cramping or other circumstances that inhibit their ability to get to safety.

Toddlers up to the age of four most commonly drown in swimming pools, but many drown in ponds, rivers and lakes, according to the AAP. Cohen notes inflatable pools, hot tubs, ponds and fountains can also be dangerous for children. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), from 2008 through 2010, an estimated annual average of 5,100 children younger than 15 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for injuries associated with pool or spa submersions. An average of 383 pool- or spa-related fatalities of children in that age group were reported per year for 2006 through 2008.

In its updated policy, the AAP points out the large, inflatable pools that have become popular over the past few years are a new risk for drowning among this age group because they tend to remain up for extended periods of time without being drained. They also are rarely made inaccessible with a fence or ladder system common to larger or permanent pools. From 2004 to 2006, the CPSC reported 47 deaths of children related to inflatable pools.

“Children should be told not to play near open bodies of water (such as a pond, lake, river or canal) and adults need to accompany them near these hazards,” adds Cohen. The percent of drownings in natural water settings increases with age, as most drownings in those over 15 years of age occur in natural water settings.

Cohen cautions against losing sight of children when many people are in the water. The activity and glare make it even more difficult to see someone submerge. There should be enough adults watching to account for each person who is not a competent swimmer, and young children or those who have no experience swimming should be within reach – not just eyesight –at all times. He notes dressing children in unique, brightly-colored swim shirts over their bathing suits helps identify them easily, as the shirt is more often visible above-water than the suit will be.

The AAP notes most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time.

“While pool alarms, fences and locks can help prevent children from gaining access to water unnoticed, there is no substitute for direct supervision,” stresses Cohen. “There should be a designated, responsible adult to watch young children –without distraction— when they are around any body of water, be it the bathtub or the ocean.”

Additional tips on how to keep your children safe around the pool are available at the American Academy of Pediatrics website. Lifetime Health Medical Group provides primary care for children and adults at a number of locations throughout the Rochester area, including 77 Sully's Trail, Perinton, where Cohen’s practice is located. Urgent Care by Lifetime Health is offered at three locations in the region.

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