Drowning Events in Children: Prevention, Resuscitation & Recovery

Drowning is a significant cause of accidental deaths in children, accounting for 56% of injury related deaths from 2012 to 2022. Most incidents occur in children aged 7 and below, with 84% occurring in swimming pools. Despite being preventable, 20% require high acuity care, 6% of incidents result in death and some survivors have severe brain damage.

Prevention strategies are crucial, emphasising active supervision, preventing access to water sources around the home, and teaching basic swimming skills and water competency to all.

Knowledge of water-survival skills, wearing of life jackets and access to rescue equipment can prevent life threatening events. Once drowning has occurred, early bystander CPR can make the difference between life and death. The urgency of addressing these preventable tragedies is akin to combating a disease, highlighting the need for public education and concerted efforts to stop these fatalities.

Learn more from Dr Syeda Kashfi Qadri, a consultant at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital as she shares more about prevention, resuscitation and recovery in drowning events involving children in this video: