A child can drown in seconds. Doctors want more families to be prepared
Summary
Doctors warn that more children in the United States have been drowning in recent years, especially young kids under 5. Quick rescue is critical to prevent death or serious injury, and experts urge families to be better prepared to prevent these accidents.Key Facts
- About 4,000 to 5,000 Americans drown each year, mostly adults in natural water like lakes or oceans.
- Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 and a top cause for kids aged 5 to 14.
- Drowning rates vary by race: higher for white children aged 1-4, higher for Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native children aged 5-14.
- Young children sometimes drown in bathtubs but mostly in swimming pools.
- Stew Leonard’s son, Stewie, died at 21 months from drowning in a pool, leading his family to start a foundation for water safety and swim lessons.
- Child drowning deaths in the U.S. declined from the 1980s to early 2000s but have risen again from 756 in 2019 to 865 in 2024.
- The pandemic disrupted swimming lessons and lifeguard training, contributing to more drownings and a shortage of lifeguards.
- More swimming pools and less supervision during swimming may also be factors in the increase in drownings.
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