5 Myths about Drowning (5/17/2006)

MYTH: A child splashing and struggling in the water will make enough noise to alert someone for help.
FACT: Drowning is usually a silent event and often occurs during a brief lapse in supervision. According to a study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time.

MYTH: Drowning takes a long time.
FACT: According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a child can drown in the time it takes to answer a phone. Children can lose consciousness in 20 seconds or less.

MYTH: As long as there are other adults around, children are safe. Supervision alone prevents drownings.
FACT: Children can drown even though they are surrounded by adults. Of all preschoolers who drown, 70 percent are in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning and 75 percent are missing from sight for five minutes or less. (Orange County, CA, Fire Authority)

MYTH: Efforts to educate and prevent drownings are a waste of time.
FACT: A San Diego University study showed that an injury prevention program used with children in first through third grades showed a significant increase in knowledge about injuries and safe behaviors, and a decrease in self-reported, high- risk behaviors.

MYTH: My child can't drown because things like that don't happen to people like me.
FACT: Drowning remains the second-leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))

USA Swimming hopes to raise awareness about water-related injuries by asking children and families to sign the Water Safety Pledge at www.makeasplash.org/discovery, committing to stay safe in the pools during the summer.