Garden pond danger
Press Release 807, 17/07/2008
Experts warn of garden pond danger
Child health specialists at Leicester's hospitals are pleading for parents to be
vigilant with small children following a spate of drownings.
In the last four months the accident and emergency unit and children's intensive
care unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary have dealt with five accidents where
young children have fallen into garden ponds, three of which have died. This
represents half the annual national average.
The unit are concerned this trend could rise through the summer as children
begin their school holidays.
James McClean, matron for the children's intensive care unit at Leicester's
hospitals, said: "Small children can drown in just a few centimetres of water.
"Over the last few months we have seen the results of these accidents. We've
seen five children come into our hospital and three have tragically died. We see
the devastation that it leads to for families and it is heartbreaking for the
nursing staff in intensive care and all the staff, particularly because it is
potentially avoidable.
"All parents know that once children are crawling or walking they are into
everything and naturally curious about everything with no idea of the dangers.
This is why it is vitally important that parents take adequate precautions and
never leave small children alone near water, even for a minute."
The children treated for drowning ranged in age from small toddlers up to six.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) estimates around five
children drown in garden ponds each year across England.
The society recorded 58 children under the age of six drowned after falling into
garden ponds between 1995 and 2005. Children aged one to two are most at risk.
David Walker, from RoSPA, said: "Sadly, every year we hear of children drowning
in garden ponds or other enclosures of water in the garden, such as swimming or
paddling pools or water butts, and sometimes these incidents happen after a
child has strayed into a neighbour's garden. Children under six-years-old are
particularly at risk because they can easily get into the water, but often
cannot get themselves out again.
"Our advice to parents is to look around the garden from a child's perspective
to see if there are enclosures of water that they could climb or fall into. Then
consider how best to isolate these items. We recommend filling in a pond while
the children are young or, if this isn't possible, covering it with a rigid
grille.
"However, it is crucial to remember that supervision is the most effective way
of preventing accidents to young children. We have heard of cases where parents
have been temporarily distracted, for example by a telephone call or in a
party-type environment, and a child has wandered away and got into difficulties
in water.
"As children get older, teach them about water safety, and, as a parent, make
sure you know what to do in an emergency and have learnt some first aid."
Water Safety
When it comes to water safety the best
protection you can give your children is not the Pool alarm or the Safety fence
or any of the other devices that are on the market. The best water safety
protection you can give your children is you!
You are the one that insures that the pool
alarm is put back in the pool when you have finished swimming, it is you that
insures that the pool gate is closed and the gate alarm is active. All safety
products can only work if you make sure that they are in good working order and
that they are "Tried and Tested" and used correctly.
With the constant news of another child
drowning in a garden pond or a villa's pool, water safety has come to the
forefront of people minds when going on holiday or when children are very small.
It has also allowed companies to flood the market with drowning protection
products that have never been tried or tested.
Remember this is your child and you only get
one chance, don't ever compromise on
safety. Make sure that what you are
purchasing has been Tried and Tested. Make sure it has history and is not one of
the many cheap copies coming out of the Far East. You child is the most precious
thing to you and as such should be given the best protection in life.
Remember safety products are just a added
piece of security, it is you that is the best child safety product on the
market.
Your family
comes first
Never Assume
Never assume that some one is watching your children, if some one is watching
over your children make sure that you are happy that they are carrying this out
correctly.
When we mean correctly, we mean that there full attention is being paid in the
safe guarding of your children.
Ensure that they are not.
- Reading a book
- Talking to other people
- Drinking any form of alcoholic drink
- Playing in the pool (You can't see what
is below the water if your in the pool)
- Play cards
- Doing anything that could distract them
from there duty.
It should also be noted that when supervising children, after a time fatigue
will set in, so you should consider having some sort of shift pattern.
Other rules with regard to water safety are as follows: -
- Instruct babysitters about potential pool
hazards to young children and about the use of protective devices, such as
door alarms and latches. Emphasize the need for constant supervision.
- Never leave a child unsupervised near a
pool. During social gatherings at or near a pool, appoint a "designated
watcher" to protect young children from pool accidents. Adults may take
turns being the "watcher." When adults become preoccupied, children are at
risk.
- If a child is missing, check the
pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. Go to the edge
of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom and surface, as well as the
pool area.
- Do not allow a young child in the pool
without an adult.
- Do not consider young children to be
drown proof because they have had swimming lessons. Children must be watched
closely while swimming.
Do not use flotation devices as a substitute for supervision.
- Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary
resuscitation). Babysitters and other caretakers, such as grandparents and
older siblings, should also know CPR.
- Keep rescue equipment by the pool. Be
sure a telephone is poolside with emergency numbers posted nearby.
Remove toys from in and around the pool when it is not in use. Toys can
attract young children to the pool.
- Never prop open the gate to a pool
barrier
CPSC Warns Drowning Dangers Do Not End with Pool Season
click here to read more......
See video on Bath Tub Safety
Click here....
See video on Swimming Pool Safety by the CPSC
Click here....
2007 Drowning Prevention Campaign
Click here.....
Drowning Facts
1) In spite of the fact that drowning is the
most likely way a middle or upper income parent could lose a child, most parents
(55%) do not worry much, or at all, about their child drowning.
2) A child submersed in your pool will lose consciousness in as little as two to
four minutes.
3) A child deprived of oxygen will die in as little as four to six minutes.
4) Children who are resuscitated following prolonged oxygen deprivation may
suffer permanent, life-altering brain damage. Devastating near-drownings are
almost as common as fatal drownings.
5) A child can drown in as little as 3 to 4 cm of water.
6) Most drowning events are totally silent.
7) Boys are three to four times more likely to drown than girls. Boys are
generally more adventurous and engage in risky behaviour more frequently.
8) 60% of all drownings occur in children aged between 1 and 4.
9) 70% of all pool drowings occur in fully fenced pools
10) Fewer than one third of these drowning victims intend to be in the water.
11) 90% of drownings occur whilst a child is under supervision.
12) Almost all parents say that they actively supervise their children while
swimming, but 94% admit to engaging in distracting activities such as snoozing,
reading and using the phone whilst supervising.
13) Rapid initiation of CPR and first aid is recognised as being absolutely
critical to survival. A rescued but unconscious child who is not breathing is in
just as much danger as if he or she were still in the pool.
The Layers of
Safety Campaign
website
is an excellent resource for pool safety tips.
Child
Safety
When
you are out and about with young children it can be very easy, especially in
crowded places to lose sight of were they are.
The
first thing to teach your children if they do lose sight of you is to stay calm
and not get alarmed.
They
should stay calm and look around to see if they can spot you, they should not
run around trying to find you.
If you
are in a crowded place, you should all agree before hand a place to meet if any
one gets lost.
If you
are in a supermarket the children should be told to go to the checkout desk and
tell the person that they are lost.
Ensure
that they know there name, address and a contact telephone number.
If
they get lost on the street, they should not approach strangers but go to the
nearest shop and ask for help.
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