Child Drownings in Arizona

The desert heat of Arizona causes many families to try and cope with the summer heat by placing swimming pools in their yards. Although swimming pools offer great family fun and a wonderful way to survive the heat, many child drowning cases are reported every year. Arizona has a surprisingly high amount of near-drowning and drowning incidents every year. Many young children can quickly become a victim to this devastation, leaving families broken.

In the state of Arizona, drowning cases are the second leading cause of injury-related death for babies, toddlers, and preschool aged children. In one year, just in Maricopa County alone, 19 children had drowned. Ten percent of drowning cases reported in Arizona result in children left with permanent neurological impairment.

Child drownings only take a second to occur. A child can slip under the water unnoticed and become unconscious within only two minutes. It takes only four to six minutes for permanent brain damage to occur. With each passing second a child can quickly become a victim of drowning, leaving family members and the community devastated.

When a child drowning occurs, families can quickly become broken. Many struggle with funeral expenses and high medical bills. It is approximated that a couple that losses a child to drowning, has a 95 percent chance of divorcing. Family members often point blame and anger at other family members trying to cope with the situation. Sever cases of depression and suicide attempts can occur.

The impact of a child drowning cases is severe. Arizona spends time and money every year trying to raise awareness and educate families about these travesties. Arizona forces the knowledge to put fences around all pools, remove ladders from unused pools, and to use secure pool covers. People that work to spread the knowledge of drowning prevention can not stress enough to have a child watched when they are in a pool. It only takes a second for a child to slip under, this includes turning your back to answer a phone. Parents that have young children should be certified in CPR, have locks on all doors leading out to the pool, and a secure lock on the gate fence surrounding the pool.

As knowledge of child drowning begins to spread, the number of cases reported each year decreases. This is not a problem only in the state of Arizona, but every state as well. The word about child drownings needs to spread so no more children fall victim to this danger.

References:
"Child Drowning Facts" 2009 www.azfamily.com