WATER SAFETY RESOURCES FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 4,000 people drown in the United States each year; drowning kills more children between the ages of 1 and 4 than anything else except birth defects. Among children up to 14 years of age, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind motor vehicle crashes. More than half of those who are treated in an emergency department for drowning require hospitalization or transfer for further care (compared with about 6% of all unintentional injuries), and those who do survive may suffer lasting consequences like brain damage.

We invite any healthcare provider to print out the following resources to distribute to your patients and/or display in your office to help educate parents and prevent drowning. If you have any questions or would like to request additional materials, please email [email protected].