Board-certified pediatric emergency physician Ronnie Waldrop, MD, and nurse Erin Rovelli, RN, serve patients at the Children’s Emergency Room at Inova Loudoun Hospital, Loudoun County’s only emergency facility solely dedicated to caring for children and adolescents.
With summer in full swing, we’re all looking for ways to stay cool. Whether your family enjoys a dip in the pool, day at the beach or plunge into the lake, water safety should be at the top of your mind.
Drowning is the third leading cause of death from unintentional injury worldwide. In the United States, it is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in children ages 1 to 14. More than 25% of drowning victims die, and up to one-third of survivors sustain moderate to severe brain injuries.
Drowning can happen anywhere. Children under 5 in urban areas are most likely to drown in swimming pools, while those in rural locales are most likely to experience water accidents in lakes, ponds and ditches. An infant can drown in under 5 minutes of being submerged, and in as little as a bucket of water.
The main factors that increase an individual’s risk of drowning include:
If your child has had a water incident or near-drowning event, make sure to monitor them closely. Complications can arise hours after rescue. If you notice confusion, coughing, wheezing, exhaustion, difficulty breathing or use of the abdominal muscles to breathe, have your child evaluated immediately by your pediatrician or an emergency room physician.
Think you’re ready to hit the beach? Take our swim safety quiz to find out.
Learn about the Children’s Emergency Room at Inova Loudoun Hospital, an ER specially designed to care for children and adolescents.
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