In the U.S., fatal drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1–4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s also the second leading cause of unintentional injury death, behind motor vehicle crashes, for children ages 5–14. In fact, as of this August, 56 children have drowned in Texas in 2023—including in pools, the ocean, lakes and bathtubs—and that number continues to rise.
While these statistics are scary, we aren’t trying to make you feel anxious about swimming with your kids. We want to ensure you’re well educated about how to prevent this tragedy from happening and know the signs to watch for to prevent kids from drowning.
Of course, one of the best things you can do to help reduce the risk of drowning is to enroll your little ones in swimming lessons. After all, learning to swim can reduce this risk by 88% for children ages 1–4, according to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. In addition, parents should use constant touch supervision with younger kiddos, and a designated water watcher should be assigned to keep an eye on all kids who are in and near water.
These last two are extremely important safety measures; according to safekids.org, the majority of fatal drownings occur when there is inadequate supervision of kids in or near water. Keep reading to understand the signs to watch for to prevent drowning and what to do in a water emergency.
RELATED: A Parent’s Role in Water Safety: Supervision Tips
Signs to Watch Out For to Prevent Drowning
Drowning doesn’t always look like what you would expect. In fact, one big misconception about drowning is that it’s noisy. In reality, it’s fast and silent, and children will rarely scream, call out or splash for help, according to the collaborative water safety education program Know Before You Go.
Also, drowning can happen quickly. It takes less than 10 seconds for someone to become submerged in the water and 2 minutes to lose consciousness.
According to the American Red Cross, other signs that a person is drowning:
- An active drowning victim may be vertical in the water but unable to move forward or tread water.
- An active drowning victim may try to press down with the arms at the side in an instinctive attempt to keep the head above the water.
- A passive drowning victim is motionless and floating face down on the bottom or near the surface of the water. Don’t assume someone is purposefully floating this way.
- If you see a swimmer in distress, don’t mistake the signs for joking or playing around.
But don’t just be on the lookout for active drowning victims. A swimmer in distress is moments away from active drawing. A swimmer may be in distress if their:
- Head is low in the water with their mouth at water level
- Head is tilted back with their mouth open
- Eyes are glassy, empty and unable to focus
- Eyes are closed
- Hair is over forehead or eyes
- Legs are not moving
- Breathing is troubled, including hyperventilating or gasping
What to Do in a Water Emergency
If a child is missing, the Red Cross advises to check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. Then do the following to safely help someone who is in trouble in the water:
- Alert the lifeguard, if one is present.
- Rescue and remove the person from the water (without putting yourself in danger). If you’re not a strong swimmer and the person at risk of drowning is conscious, throw a ring buoy or use a reaching pole to assist the at-risk swimmer.
- If you do swim out to rescue a drowning person, make sure to approach them from behind
- Ask someone to call emergency medical services. If you’re alone, give 2 minutes of care, then call 911.
- Begin rescue breathing and CPR. (You can find a CPR certification course near you through the Red Cross, American Heart Association (in-person or virtual) or through your local YMCA.)
- Use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if available and transfer care to advanced life support.
RELATED: 10 Ocean and Beach Safety Tips for Kids
This article was originally published in August 2023.
Top image: iStock
