TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - Analysis of submersion accidents at a level II hospital and literature review
JO  - Pediatric oncall journal
A1  - Capela, Joana Brígida
A1  - Reis, Mariana
A1  - Almeida, Inês
A1  - Gaspar, Luísa
A1  - Scortenschi, Ecaterina
A1  - Soares, Marta
A1  - Ramalho, Ana
A1  - Santos, Vera
A1  - Calado, Cláudia
A1  - Alfaro, Maria
A1  - Rosa, João
SP  - 
EP  - 
VL  - 21
IS  - 3
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death worldwide, particularly among children. It is a significant public health issue, often occurring in bathing areas with high influx of tourists who are not aware of local risks. Non-fatal drowning incidents can result in permanent neurological damage in children. Our objective was to characterize the pediatric population involved in submersion incidents and hospitalized in a level II hospital, including the short-term hospitalization unit, ward and pediatric intensive care unit. Additionally, we aimed to compare our demographic findings with available data.     Methods: We conducted a seven-year and eight months retrospective study on children admitted to Hospital de Faro, between January 2015 and August 2022.     Results: Our findings indicated a higher incidence of submersion accidents in the early years of life and among males. Most accidents occurred in swimming pools during the summer. Nearly half of the victims were foreigners, and the primary cause of submersion was inadequate supervision. The most severe cases involved longer submersion times, a higher occurrence of cardio-respiratory arrest, more complications, and extended hospital stays. Among these cases, two children experienced hypoxic-ischemic injury, and one resulted in death.     Conclusion: Our data aligns with existing information from Portugal and other European countries. It is crucial to implement preventive campaigns, ensure proper supervision, and enforce strict government policies. In bathing areas with tourists presence, preventive measures should be tailored accordingly. Prompt rescue of victims and the initiation of basic life support are vital in positively influencing the prognosis.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0973-0966
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.7199/ped.oncall.2024.34
ID  - ref1
ER  -