Are Child Drownings on the Rise in the US?

For the most part, parents of young children know not to leave them unattended when swimming pools and spas, for fear of a possible drowning accident. However, these sentiments appear to be fading, as these incidents appear to be increasing in recent years. Before we look at the numbers and possible reasons for this increase, we must first mention that the experienced swimming pool drowning attorneys from Van Law Firm can help injured swimmers and their families recover the compensation they deserve. Call our office nearest you today to get started.

An Increase in Child Drowning Incidents 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently stated that the number of child drownings is increasing here in America, and the COVID pandemic may be partially to blame given the fact that most children were unable to attend swimming lessons for the last year or so, which would have helped prevent a large number of deaths. 

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According to the latest CPSC findings, from 2016 through 2018, there were an average of about 400 drowning deaths per year for children under the age of 15. Over 75 percent of those deaths involved kids aged 5 or younger, and over 80 percent of incidents occured in private (residential) pools. This indicates that drownings remain the single leading cause of accidental deaths among children from the ages of 1 to 4 in the U.S. 

Unfortunately, of all the child drowning deaths from 2018 to 2020, the percentage of victims age 5 or younger increased to over 80 percent. The CPSC noted this increase in a press release, stating that their “latest report confirms that most child drownings involve children under the age of 5, whose limited experience around the water due to recent social distancing restrictions could put them at greater risk of drowning.” The report also noted that the number of non-fatal injuries declined during that same span, but this was largely attributed to COVID restrictions.  

Steps to Protect Young Swimmers 

As far as steps parents can take to protect their children from risk of drowning, the agency suggests the following: 

• Make sure your own swimming abilities are up to par, as well as your children: Most drowning accidents can be avoided if the ailing swimmer or someone nearby can get them out of a bad situation. 
• Consider learning CPR for children and adults: In most drowning cases, the swimmer is left unconscious, and if you are able to administer CPR, you may save a life down the road. 
• Never let children swim unattended: This probably goes without saying, but children are by far the most vulnerable demographic when it comes to accidental drowning. Therefore, you should always supervise your children while swimming, or ensure that a trustworthy person does if you cannot. 
•  Try to keep children away from openings: A large number of drowning accidents arise because swimmers become entangled or trapped by pool drains, filters, and other openings. If you can, warn them about these dangers or ensure that they avoid them. 

Contact Qualified Swimming Pool Drowning Attorneys Now 

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If your child or someone you love was injured or killed in a drowning or near-drowning incident, you may be entitled to recover compensation on their behalf, but you must act fast. Protect your rights by calling the award-winning swimming pool drowning attorneys from Van Law Firm today–with millions of dollars recovered for injured swimmers and their families, it’s clear you won’t want to take your case anywhere else. Call the office nearest you now for more information.