Local Expert Warns Of Dangers Of Drowning In Summer
By Michelle Durham
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Summer time means fun in the sun and swimming in pools, but a local expert says parents cannot take their eyes off their children even for a moment.
Chairman Department of Pediatrics at Abington Memorial Hospital Dr. Steven Shapiro says the statistics are staggering.
"Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury in kids under 14."
Also troubling, most of the drowning deaths occur in home pools and 9 out of 10 drowning deaths occurred when a parent or caregiver was supervising.
So how do you know if a child is in trouble?
"What you have to look for is when you see a child not breaking the water with their hands or their feet, paddling hard and you see their necks bent back in that nose up position. That's when you know they are in trouble."
Any child who has been submerged and pulled from the pool needs to be seen by the doctor immediately, even if they initially seem all right, as breathing problems can develop rapidly later.
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