Parents issued warning after alarming new study reveals childhood drowning toll
Australian parents have been urged to stay alert after new research has revealed just how common childhood drowning is.
The new study, conducted by Royal Life Saving, found that more than 500 children aged zero to four have drowned in the past 19 years.
Of the 532 children who died, 40 per cent were just one-year old.
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In the past 19 years, 532 Australian children aged up to four have drowned Supplied
According to the organisation, the risk of drowning triples as soon as a child starts to crawl, peaking shortly after a child's first birthday.
Furthermore, the study found that for every drowning that ends in death, eight children are admitted to hospital following a non-fatal drowning. These children stay in hospital for 1.5 days, on average, and some also sustain lifelong brain injuries.
"Children who suffer a non-fatal drowning may experience long-term health complications or life-changing injuries," said Justin Scarr, CEO at Royal Life Saving Society – Australia.
"This is devastating for families. Child drowning can be prevented by ensuring children are always supervised around the water by an adult."
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According to Royal Life Saving, the risk of drowning triples as soon as a child starts to crawl Supplied
The report also found that 77 per cent of drownings happened after a fall into the water and more than half (52 per cent) occurred in a swimming pool.
In almost all instances, the child was not being supervised by an adult when they entered the water.
"This year has been challenging for parents, in many cases families have tried to juggle working and schooling from home," Mr Scarr said. "We are worried this could lead to distractions and lapses in adult supervision."
Mr Scarr is urging parents and carers to always 'Keep Watch' around the water this summer, revealing that drowning in children is quick and silent but it can be prevented.
"Children are curious about their surroundings, which means parents and carers cannot afford to be complacent around the water," he noted. "We are reminding parents that 'Kids can't help themselves around water, you need to'."
He also pointed out that everyday distractions such as answering the front door, checking an email or putting the washing on can prove disastrous for young children.
Royal Life Saving Australia recommends the following safety tips to keep children safe around water:
- Supervise. Actively supervise children around water
- Restrict. Restrict children's access to water
- Teach. Teach children water safety skills
- Respond. Learn how to respond in the case of an emergency