LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — According to experts at Arkansas Children's, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury and death for kids in Arkansas. Almost two-thirds of those drownings occur during the summer months.
THV11 found ways for parents to make sure their kids stay safe this summer.
It's time for fun in the sun and a popular place to spend it is pools. But fun can quickly turn dangerous as pools are a main concern when it comes to drowning. Hope Mullins is the Associate Director of Injury Prevention at Arkansas Children's and she said that for one to four year olds, pools are where most of those drownings occur.
"98% of those kids can't swim and it's shocking how many kids drown that don't know how to swim," said Mullins. "50 percent of people over 15 also don't know how to swim."
She said many people are shocked to hear there's a risk even for kiddie pools.
"Children can drown in two inches of water because their heads are big in proportion to their body so they may not be able to get back up if they fall over," said Mullins. "Kiddie pools, bathtubs, toilets, and even buckets of water are a concern."
The good news is that there are things that can be done to prevent drowning. Mullins says supervision is a top priority.
"Don't let your kids swim alone without supervision," she said. "If they are ages one to four, touch supervision is best where they can be within touching distance at all times."
She said there also needs to be constant supervision for older kids with a water watcher.
"That person is someone that is nearby seeing what's going on in the pool without any distractions," she said.
Mullins said there are other ways parents can prepare, as well. She recommends getting kids swimming lessons as early as possible because knowing how to swim is one of the best defenses against drowning.
For families with at home pools, parents should teach kids to ask before they go in the water, remove toys and steps around the pool when not in use, and put up a fence with a self-locking gate. There are even alarms you can buy that will ring if someone is accessing a pool area.
"Being aware of what's going on is a great way to make water safe," said Mullins.
Mullins also said knowing what drowning looks like is important. It's not like the movies. Drowning is often silent and the child will be pushing down on the water.
For more information visit the Arkansas Children's Injury Prevention Center.
