Danger lurks in the water
August, the height of summer in the Northwest, is all about the water. North Idaho's pristine lakes draw tens of thousands from the region, many of these families with children. With all that fun in the sun, vigilance must play its part.
Every day about 10 people die in the U.S. from unintentional drowning; two of these are 14 or younger. To each child who dies from drowning, add another five who receive emergency care for nonfatal submersion injuries. For all age groups and adding boating deaths, that brings the national average to 3,880 deaths annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the fifth leading cause of accidental injury death in the U.S.
Idaho's drowning rate for children is 1.6 per 100,000 people, slightly higher than the nation's average 1.4. If you're curious, the highest is in Alaska, at 3.9. Our overall accidental injury rate is higher too, at 19.3 per 100,000, compared with the national average of 15.0.
Who's the most at-risk for drowning? Nearly 80 percent of drowning deaths are male. Children aged 1 to 4 have the highest death-by-drowning rates, or 30 percent of all losses in that age group. Most of these are at home; young children with little lungs can drown in just inches of water, in a bathtub or even that little backyard plastic pool. I knew a toddler who died in two inches of water; he slipped face down and it only took a minute. His mother, a nurse, was nearby talking with a relative.
What are the risk factors to correct? Most are very simple, and very preventable. The CDC points to:
• Swimming ability: Many adults and children report that they can't swim. Knowing how to tread water and get to safety also addresses the "panic factor," with confidence improving the odds. Don't think only kids need lessons. The CDC reports teens and young adults tend to have better swimming abilities than older adults.
• Barriers: Fencing prevents young children from gaining access to a water area without caregivers' awareness and reduces risks of drowning.
• Supervision: Drowning can happen quickly and quietly anywhere there is water (bathtubs, rivers, pools, buckets) and even in the presence of lifeguards.
• Location: People of different ages drown in different places. Most young children drown in home pools. The percentage of drownings in lakes, rivers and oceans increases with age; more than half of victims in these locations are 15 and older.
• Life jackets: According to U.S. Coast Guard reports of 4,604 boating incidents in 2010, 3,153 boaters were injured, and 672 died. Most (72 percent) boating deaths were caused by drowning, with 88 percent of victims not wearing life jackets.
• Alcohol: Among adolescents and adults, up to 70 percent of water-related deaths involve alcohol. Alcohol influences balance, coordination, and judgment, and its effects are heightened by sun and heat.
• Seconds count ... learn CPR. CPR performed by bystanders saves lives and improves outcomes in near-drowning victims.
CPR classes (generally low-cost) are offered by the Red Cross, NIC's Workforce Training Center, and Kootenai Health, to name a few. A Google search "CPR online" also nets a range of online class options, although I recommend live for more effective demonstrations.
Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network and so-so swimmer. Contact her at sholehjo@hotmail.com.