Summer is always a worrisome time for pediatricians and family doctors. One of the worst fears we have as physicians who care for children is that a child will either have a near-drowing experience or die from drowning. Each year about 1500 children and teens drown. Little children can drown in a fish pond or a small amount of water. I was with a friend at a picnic in a lovely park one day and saw a two-year-old standing on a Japanese bridge over fairly deep water. The only adults were at least 100 feet away. I hurried onto the bridge and called to the young couple, who I assumed were the parents. Yes, it was their child. I said I was not comfortable leaving the child there until one of them was nearby. They thought I was a meddling adult, but at least the cute little boy didn't go over the bridge and drown that afternoon.
A father was caring for a two-year-old patient of mine and took his eyes off the little boy for a few minutes. The child disappeared and was found dead in a neighbor's pool. He had slipped through a fence when the father wasn't looking. The tragedy changed the parents' life.
Another two-year-old slipped out a door when several people were in the house and was found dead in the family's fish pond.
One four-year-old had a near drowning experience but was resuscitated. She was hospitalized for quite a while, but became spastic and markedly delayed intellectually. Swimming is a wonderful exercise for all ages, but you cannot be too careful with kids. No child should ever, ever be allowed to swim without an adult close by with his or her eyes constantly on the child.
Comments