Oregon Accident Lawyers

A Child Submerged In The Bathtub Or Pool Can Sustain Permanent Brain Damage

Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death of children. Most drownings and near-drownings happen when a child accidentally falls into a pool or is left alone in the tub.

Drownings happen in a matter of seconds. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer the phone. Contrary to what many people believe, drowning is a quick and silent killer. In the time it takes to cross the room for a towel (10 seconds), a child in the bathtub can become submerged. answer the phone (2 minutes), that child can lose consciousness.
sign for a package at your front door (4 to 6 minutes), a child submerged in the bathtub or pool can sustain permanent brain damage.
 
Never leave a young child alone or with a sibling in the tub not even to answer the phone or to get a towel. If you must leave, take the child with you. Always watch your child by the pool, spa, beach, or lake. Beware of backyard pools and spas in the neighborhood. Your child could wander off and accidentally fall in. Install a pool side telephone.
Enroll children over age 3 in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors. But keep in mind that lessons don't make your child "drown-proof."

Never let older children swim in unsupervised areas like quarries, canals, or ponds. Older kids are at risk of drowning when they overestimate their ability or underestimate how deep the water is. Install a four-sided fence around your pool or spa. The house should not be used as one of the four sides. The fence should be five feet high and have a self-closing and self-latchinq gate.

Water
 
Despite a 34 percent decline from 1987 to 1998, drowning is still the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death to children ages 14 and under, taking more than 1,000 children's lives each year. For every child who drowns, four more are hospitalized for near-drownings; for every hospital admission, four children are treated in emergency rooms.

But knowledge is a powerful tool for combating these tragedies. Knowing how and where children drown, as well as the concrete steps you can take to avoid danger, may make a life-and-death difference for your family.

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