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Submersion injuries in children younger than 5 years in urban Utah
L R Jensen1, S D Williams, D J Thurman
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City.
Insights
Young children, especially infants, face high submersion injury risks. Unsupervised bathing with siblings and unsecured water access are key dangers, necessitating targeted prevention efforts.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Submersion injuries pose a significant threat to young children.
- Previous research indicates varying risk factors across different age groups and environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To retrospectively identify risk factors associated with submersion injuries in children younger than 5 years.
- To analyze specific circumstances leading to bathtub drownings and other water-related fatalities.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of submersion injuries in four urban Utah counties.
- Data collection spanned from 1984 through 1988.
- Analysis focused on age, location of injury, and supervision status.
Main Results:
- Infants under 1 year experienced the highest rates of submersion injuries and fatalities.
- Bathtub drowning incidence was 2-3 times higher than national rates, exclusively occurring during unsupervised sibling baths.
- Pool and open water drownings resulted from falls, not intentional water activities.
Conclusions:
- Parental education on the dangers of unsupervised sibling bathing is crucial.
- Implementing pool fencing and securing access to open water are vital drowning prevention strategies.
- Targeted interventions for infants and toddlers are essential for reducing submersion injury rates.
Abstract:
Submersion injuries of children younger than 5 years in 4 urban Utah counties from 1984 through 1988 were studied retrospectively to identify associated risk factors. Infants younger than 1 year had the highest rates of both submersion injuries and deaths. The incidence of bathtub drownings was 2 to 3 times higher than reported national rates. All bathtub drownings occurred while the victim was bathing with a young sibling (10 months to 7 years of age) without adult supervision. All drownings in pools and moving bodies of water (rivers, irrigation ditches) resulted from unintentional falls into the water rather than from swimming and wading activities. Drowning prevention strategies should focus on educating parents about the risk of young children bathing with siblings in the absence of adult supervision and fencing regulations for pools and open bodies of moving water.