How Many Children Drown Every Year in the U.S.?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are an estimated 4,000 drowning deaths<\/a> every year in the United States, which equates to about 11 drowning deaths per day. Children account for approximately 25% of those fatal drownings<\/a>. Additionally, drowning is the number one leading cause of death in children ages 1-4, and most of these drownings occur in a swimming pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Delayed drowning, also known as secondary drowning, is used to describe the delayed symptoms children may experience after a near-drowning event. Delayed drowning occurs when water enters the lungs, causing a condition called pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema, or \u201cwet lung,\u201d occurs when water causes the small air sacs in the lungs to swell and become inflamed, which can prevent oxygen from entering the bloodstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a child inhales a small amount of water in a near-drowning incident, they will most likely cough it up or spontaneously recover. If they inhale a significant amount of water, however, they may suffer from delayed drowning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Symptoms of delayed drowning will often not appear right away, hence why it\u2019s called \u201cdelayed\u201d drowning. Symptoms can occur in the hours or days following the incident, but they usually occur within the first 6 hours. If your child was in a near-drowning incident, it\u2019s important to keep an eye on them for the first 6 hours following the accident, to ensure any secondary drowning symptoms don\u2019t go unnoticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondary drowning is rare; in fact, a case review of near-drowning accidents revealed that only about 5% of all of the cases they reviewed<\/a> resulted in secondary drowning symptoms. These symptoms can include difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, chest pain, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondary drowning is very similar to another out-of-water drowning complication, called dry drowning. Dry drowning occurs when a child inhales water through their mouth or nose, which causes the muscles in their airway to spasm. When the vocal cords spasm and refuse to relax, they can cause a child\u2019s airway to be completely blocked, preventing them from breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dry drowning and secondary drowning symptoms are relatively similar, and can both cause trouble breathing, persistent coughing, and chest pain. While they may present in similar ways, the main difference between them is whether or not there is water in the lungs. Dry drowning is called \u201cdry\u201d because the water does not enter their lungs. Regardless of whether a child is suffering from dry drowning or secondary drowning, if a child is exhibiting any symptoms of either condition, parents should seek medical attention for their child as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondary drowning symptoms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a child begins to exhibit dry drowning and secondary drowning symptoms in the hours after a near-drowning event, their parents should seek medical care for them as soon as possible. If the symptoms are mild, the parents should call their child\u2019s pediatrician. If they are more serious, however, the parents should take their child to the emergency room. An emergency health care provider can check the child\u2019s vital signs and may even perform a chest x-ray to assess the child\u2019s condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on the severity, the emergency department of the children\u2019s hospital may require additional medical treatment. For example, if the child is having trouble breathing, or their oxygen level is low, they may require additional support to get enough oxygen. The child may then be intubated or put on a ventilator to ensure they can continue breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, you can sue someone for a drowning accident if their actions directly contributed to the drowning. This includes cases of dry drowning and secondary drowning. When someone acts negligently, and they cause injuries, they can be held liable for any damages that their actions caused. In the case of drowning accidents, any adult responsible for a drowning could be found negligent and held liable for the injuries or death they caused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, a pool\u2019s property owner could be found negligent if they didn\u2019t properly secure their pool, which then caused a child to fall in and drown. A lifeguard could be found negligent if they did not properly monitor the children in and around the pool, which caused them to not notice a child that was drowning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most parents want the best for their children and want to protect them from as much harm as possible. So when children are hurt or killed due to someone else\u2019s actions, parents deserve justice. If your child nearly drowned or drowned as a result of another person\u2019s negligence, a child injury lawyer in San Antonio<\/a> can help you file a claim or lawsuit against the person responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our San Antonio swimming pool accident lawyers<\/a> have extensive experience handling drowning claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drowning accidents, including dry drowning and secondary drowning accidents, can cause children and parents to suffer both economic damages and non-economic damages. Parents can seek compensation for drowning accident damages like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The experienced lawyers at Janicek Law can help you file a claim and receive the compensation you deserve. Call us at 210-366-4949<\/a> or contact us online<\/a> so that we can discuss your case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While adults can\u2019t always prevent dry drowning and secondary drowning after an accident occurs, they can take measures to help decrease the likelihood that a drowning event occurs in the first place. Below are some of the water safety precautions parents, pool owners, and other adults should take to ensure small children are safe in and around water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One good way to prevent drowning accidents is to have your children take swimming lessons starting at a young age. This can give them the skills needed to swim, which can help them survive if they fall into a pool or other body of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also important that a responsible, sober adult has a close eye on any children in the water at all times. At water sports events and public pools, there will often be a lifeguard on duty who can help rescue swimmers who are drowning, but private pools will most likely require parents or other adults to monitor children and rescue any children in distress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If adults act fast enough, they can prevent drowning fatalities and even decrease the risk of any additional submersion injuries. Whether there is a lifeguard on duty or not, it\u2019s important to be alert and attentive around children who are swimming or are near any significant amount of water. This includes any amount of standing water a child could gain access to, even full bathtubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Life jackets can also help prevent the likelihood of a drowning incident. When properly fitted, a life jacket can greatly decrease a person\u2019s risk of drowning. Small children who are not strong swimmers or cannot swim at all should wear life vests at all times when in or around water. Floaties can also help children who aren\u2019t strong swimmers stay above water in a pool, lake, or other body of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool owners should have barriers, gates, or fences surrounding their backyard pool to ensure children cannot wander onto their property and fall into the pool. Additionally, children should not be able to access a pool without adult supervision, so pool owners should take measures to prevent children inside the home from getting outside to the pool without an adult. This can include installing child gates or locking doors leading to the pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Property owners who do not take the proper measures to ensure their home is safe can be found negligent in a premises liability<\/a> case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your child was a victim of a drowning accident, you may be able to receive financial compensation for the person or people responsible. The expert lawyers at Janicek Law<\/a> want to provide you with expert legal assistance and help you receive fair compensation for your child\u2019s injuries. Call us today at 210-366-4949<\/a> to schedule an appointment with us, so we can discuss your case.<\/p>\n\n\nWhat is Delayed Drowning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Delayed Drowning vs. Dry Drowning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"secondary](\"https:\/\/www.janiceklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Delayed-Drowning-image-2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSecondary Drowning Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Treatment for Delayed Drowning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can You Sue for a Drowning Accident?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"symptoms](\"https:\/\/www.janiceklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Delayed-Drowning-image-4.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDrowning Accident Damages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to Prevent a Child Drowning Accident<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Swim Lessons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Monitor Children in the Water at All Times<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Use Life Vests or Floaties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pool Barriers or Gates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"secondary](\"https:\/\/www.janiceklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Delayed-Drowning-image-3.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCall San Antonio Drowning Accident Lawyers at Janicek Law Today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n