Victims of drowning and water-related injuries can find help in Kansas City

Summer is coming to Kansas City. As the weather gets warm, Missouri families head for the water to cool off. Unfortunately, summer also means an increase in drowning and water-related injuries.

Every year, over 3,500 Americans die from unintentional drownings. Drowning is the second leading cause of death and serious injury for children.

About 25 percent (875) of drowning victims are children under the age of 14. An additional 3,500 children receive emergency room treatment for non-fatal water-related injuries. These non-fatal near-drownings can result in brain damage that causes memory problems, learning disabilities and even permanent loss of basic function.

Children under one-year old most commonly drown in bathtubs, buckets, and toilets. Most of these accidental deaths could be prevented with appropriate supervision and safety measures. Young children should never be left unsupervised in a bathroom and buckets of water should be emptied immediately after use and never left unattended.

Children between the ages of one and four are most likely to drown in residential swimming pools. A drowning can happen in seconds. Often, children who drown are in the care of one or more parents and had been out of sight for less than five minutes. Barriers like pool fencing and a gate with a latch can keep children from entering a pool area without a parent’s knowledge and can prevent many of these deaths.

Those over 15 years of age are more likely to drown in natural settings such as lakes, ponds and rivers. In adults, drowning is often associated with alcohol use.

Parents can help prevent drowning.

• Designate an adult to watch children while in the bath or while playing in or near water. That adult should not be involved in any other distracting activity such as talking on the phone or reading.

• Sign your child up for swimming lessons, but still don’t allow your child to swim unsupervised.

• Learn CPR. It may take emergency personnel up to 15 minutes to respond to a 911 call. Knowing CPR may save your child’s life.

• Make sure pools are fenced with a barrier that is at least 4 feet high. Gates should be self-closing and self-latching with latches that are out of the reach of children. You may also consider a pool or gate alarm.

• Remove pool toys, floats and balls immediately after swimming to prevent children from going into the pool to get those toys.

If your child drowns or is injured by a near-drowning while at school, camp or under the care of another adult, you may have a personal injury case. If the injury or death could have been prevented with proper safety equipment or better supervision, then it is caused by negligence. Contact the child injury attorneys at the Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys to learn more about your rights.

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Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys
1102 Grand Blvd., Ste 1901
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-471-5111
Toll Free: 888-348-2616
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Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys*
11900 College Boulevard, Suite 300
Overland Park, KS 66210
*By Appointment Only: Heather A. Lottmann & Victor B. Finkelstein

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Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys
1102 Grand Blvd., Ste 1901
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-471-5111
Toll Free: 888-348-2616
Get Directions

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