Attention is once again focused on pool accidents following the recent drowning of a 4-year-old boy at rock star Tommy Lee's California mansion. The little boy's death at the Father's Day birthday party has reinforced the importance of both water safety and resucitation techniques such as CPR and "mouth-to-mouth."
In another recent incident, actress Tracey Gold, best known for her role as Carole Seaver on the sitcom Growing Pains, became aware of the dangers of combining young children, pools, and inadequate supervision. She nearly lost her two-year-old toddler, Bailey, to a pool accident in April 2001. Gold left Bailey and her other son, four-year-old Sage, at her mother Bonnie's home for the afternoon. While Bonnie was inside checking telephone messages, Sage found his younger brother floating in the pool. He told his grandmother who immediately ran out to the pool and administered what she could remember of CPR. She gave Bailey two quick puffs of breath and inserted a finger down his throat. Fortunately, Bailey coughed up water and began breathing. Bonnie then called 911. The attending pediatrician said that Bonnie's actions not only saved Bailey's life but also prevented brain damage.
Time is crucial when a child or an adult has been under water. If the brain is deprived of oxygen for more than several minutes, death or permanent brain damage is likely. CPR is a vital prevention tool. This combination of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions helps to provide the body with oxygen it requires.
Experts encourage parents, grandparents, older siblings, and caregivers, such as babysitters, to learn CPR. Many organizations, including the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross, offer CPR courses, often at no charge.
Obviously, it is important to avoid the need to use such resuscitation techniques. Perhaps the most effective way to avoid pool and other summertime accidents is to pay close attention to your child. If you have to leave the pool area, even for a moment, have your child come with you. In addition, experts recommend installing protective fencing with self-latching gates around pool areas.
Drowning is the number one cause of unintentional injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years of age. Over 85% of drownings are pool-related. Approximately 1,000 children under 14 years of age drown each year and about one-half of those children are under 5 years of age.