Carelessness of American parents are claiming many young lives, according to a new federal report that examined drowning of young children in bathtubs, bath seats and buckets across the country.
Drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death for children aged below 14 years in the country. Supporting this fact, a new study from Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found 684 reports of home drowning incidents among children below five years between 2006 and 2010- claiming 434 lives, injuring 233 and 17 without any injuries.
Most of the cases occurred in residential settings (92 percent). According to the report, the parents' irresponsibility in leaving the child alone in the bathroom to answer phone or door played a major role.
Children below two years were the most affected and bathtubs or bath related products were the main culprit (81 percent).
"Too many young children are drowning," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum, in a news release. "Just as with pools, I urge parents and caregivers to childproof their home and constantly supervise young children around bathtubs, bath seats and buckets. Taking extra safety steps at home can help prevent a tragic drowning."
Following are some tips from CPSC to prevent the occurrence:
* Never leave a child near tub or basin filled with water
* The child should be kept in arm's reach in a bathtub
* Take the child along to attend a phone or door
* Never leave a child in a bathtub under the supervision of another child
* Do not keep a bucket containing even a small amount of water
* Do not keep a bucket outside the house to avoid the risks of rain water
* Install locks on toilet seat covers
* Learn the lifesaving technique CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
The latest report comes as a continuation of the agency's recent report on pool and spa drowning for young children during the 2012 summer. According to the report, about 137 children below 15 years have drowned in a pool or spa and 168 children were rushed to emergency rooms for nearly drowning from Memorial Day to Labor Day this year.
