It’s an unfortunate fact that African American kids drown at a rate more than three times the rate of white children. Statistics say that our kids don’t know how to swim and their fear of drowning is the number-one reason, well, why they can’t swim. There are all kinds of theories why black children don’t have swimming skills–financial, geographical, and social reasons are often mentioned–but most important is what steps can we take to keep our kids safe.
It just takes a few seconds for tragedy to strike. Once the drowning has occurred, it is just a few minutes and irreversible brain death can occur.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for those under 19 and can be prevented. This article at ABC News also notes that while 40 percent of white children were found to have low or no swimming ability, the same was true for nearly 70 percent of black children, according to the USA Swimming survey. Latino children fall behind with 58 percent having low or no swimming ability.
The recommended approach with drowning is prevention. Pool owners should use a designated pool watcher whenever children are present. This should be an adult who is capable of swimming well, not participating in any other activities and remains by the pool side (not in the pool) to be able to see all the pool occupants clearly. Besides making sure your child can swim (there are classes at your local YMCA), installing a pool fence may be another safety measure combined with watching kids while they are swimming.
If your child will be around or in a pool, make sure to take these precautions from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- Keep toys away from the pool when the pool is not in use.
- Deflate blow-up pools after each use.
- Do not put moving toys, like tricycles, near the pool.
- Do not put electrical appliances near the pool.
- No diving in a shallow pool.
- No running on the pool deck.
What to Do If You See Someone Drowning:
- Call 9-1-1 immediately. (Always having a cordless or cell phone in any pool area.)
- If the victim is within throwing distance, throw a floatable object to them. This includes a life jacket, kick board or even an empty gallon jug.
- If the victim is within reaching distance, assist them by extending something long, such as a rope, pole, ring bowie or a tree branch.
- If you must enter the water to assist someone, take a flotation device large enough to carry two adults safety. Keep the device between you and the person in distress; even a child can put an adult at risk in deep water
