Safety Tips To Prevent In-Home Drowning

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old and it’s the third leading cause of injury-related death among children. Every year, nearly 90 children drown inside the home and two thirds of in-home drowning occurs in a bathtub – it can happen very quickly and silently and in less than 2 inches of water!

Via YouTube

A  CPSC report on in home drownings and non-fatal submersions  in products such as bathtubs, buckets, bath seats, toilets, and landscaping features done in 2012, indicates that from 2006 to 2010, there were 684 incidents involving children younger than five-years-old. It also indicated that after pools, bathtubs are the second leading location where young children drown.

Of the reported fatalities, 28 percent involved a lapse in supervision, such as a parent or caregiver leaving the bathroom while the child was in the bathtub to answer the phone or door, or to retrieve a towel; in 23 percent, the child was left with another child, usually an older sibling.

These misfortunes are totally preventable and here are a few things which we as parents can do to prevent such a tragic occurrence:

1. Always stay within an arm’s reach of your child when he or she is in or near the bathtub or toilet. If the doorbell or telephone rings, never leave your child alone or in the care of older children during bath time. Rather wrap your child in a towel and bring him or her with you.
2. If using a bathtub seat or supporting ring, constant adult supervision is still needed at all times. The seat can overturn or a baby may slip out into the water.
3. Put your cell phone away. Forget about all the other things which you have to do and give young children all of your attention when they are in the bathtub.
4. Once bath time is over, immediately drain the tub.
5. Keep toilet lids closed and use toilet seat locks to prevent drowning in the toilet. It’s also a good idea to keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.
6. Do not leave a bucket containing even a small amount of liquid unattended. Toddlers are top heavy which means they can easily fall headfirst into buckets and drown. After using a bucket, always empty and store it out of a child’s reach. Also do not leave buckets outside where they can collect rainwater.
7. Learning CPR is always a good idea. It will give you great peace of mind.