Drowning remains a leading cause of death among children 14 years and younger. Medical providers are uniquely positioned to equip members and parents with water safety knowledge. Providing tailored age and condition-specific guidance can help reduce this highly preventable cause of death.
Healthcare providers play an important role in guiding families to take drowning prevention steps early. When counseling families, remind them:
- About the importance of constant supervision around all water sources, including bathtubs, pools, hot tubs and natural bodies of water.
- To assign a responsible person to be a “water watcher” who is free from distractions like chatting or using their phone. Young children or inexperienced swimmers should always be at an arm’s length.
- To start teaching children swimming skills early.
- Families should advise children to only swim when a responsible adult is present, regardless of swimming abilities. Life jackets are not a replacement for supervision.
- Avoid alcohol use before or during water activities, and especially when supervising children due to increased drowning risks. Alcohol has been a contributing factor in 30% to 70% of recreational water deaths in both children and adults.
- US Coast Guard-approved life jackets should always be used when boating and by inexperienced swimmers. Foam toys and air-filled floaties should not replace life jackets since they are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
If you have patients with certain health conditions (like epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia or autism) that make them more susceptible to drowning, advise parents to exercise additional caution when their children are near water.
Learn more about evidence-based guidelines when educating families with the American Academy of Pediatrics' Drowning Prevention guide.
Set your patients up for success — Print these Water Watcher Cards from American Red Cross and offer them to parents. Direct parents to learn about children’s water safety and more at HPSM’s Health & Safety website.