HHS HealthBeat (July 5, 2012)

Kids above water

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Pool times are fun times – most times.  But drowning can kill kids, so parents and other adults need to know how to keep them safe. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researcher Julie Gilchrist says kids ages 4 and younger have the highest rates of drowning, most commonly in swimming pools.

Gilchrist says kids’ dangers come in two common scenarios: 

“The first is when kids aren’t supposed to be in the water, and this is when things like barriers – like swimming pool fences, door locks and door alarms – are key.  When children are supposed to be in the water, that’s when supervision and swimming skill can help keep kids safe.”

Gilchrist notes that the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages swimming lessons for kids as young as 1 year.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: July 5, 2012