Citation

Schwebel DC, Ramos W, Gilchrist J, Dixon CA. Pediatrics 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

10.1542/peds.2022-060240

PMID

36785983

Abstract

Drowning is responsible for the deaths of more American children aged 1 to 4 years than any other cause, and is the second-leading killer of children aged 5 to 14 years.1 On average, 11 drowning deaths and 22 nonfatal drownings occur daily in the United States.2 The full extent of fatal and nonfatal drowning globally is unknown, but available evidence suggests drowning is at least the third-leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, with the highest drowning rates occurring among children aged 1 to 4 years.3

Successful drowning prevention is multifaceted and depends greatly on interactions between the people in and near the water, the features of the water setting, and other contextual factors. In general, prevention recommendations center around primary and secondary interventions, including adequate supervision by adult caregivers, restricting children's unauthorized access to water through installation of barriers or fences, teaching children water survival and...

Language: en