Thursday, July 09, 2009

Drowning and seizure disorders

In 2005 alone, there were 3,582 fatal drowning accidents in Los Angeles.

According to studies, about 350 kids aged 5 below die from drowning accidents each year and 2,600 are sent to the hospital for treatment related to drowning injuries.

It was also found out that non fatal droning accidents could lead to some devastating injuries like brain damage and this could lead to loss of memory, learning disabilities and even paralysis.

Drowning accidents are not exclusive to swimming pools; an individual can also drown in bathtubs, Jacuzzis, during boating and in a body of water like lakes and rivers, and others.

The most common cause of Los Angeles drowning accidents are:

• Lack of barrier – Barriers can prevent children from gaining access to a pool without supervision of an adult.

• Lack of supervision – According to studies, most young children who drowned in pools was out of sight for just about 5 minutes. If you are near a swimming pool or any body of water, constant supervision is needed for children because it will only take less than 5 minutes for a child to drown.

• Alcohol use – Alcohol is involved in more than 50% of all adolescent and adult drowning accidents and about one in five boating fatalities.

• Seizures disorders– Drowning is one of the leading cause of death for people with seizure disorders. Most drowning accidents happen in the bathtub during bath.

• Defective pool design - Some pools designs does not mark the change of depth in the pool sections. It can lead to a person miscalculating the depth and end up drowning

• Defective equipments – Defective heaters and sump pumps can cause explosion and electrocution.

• Getting caught in drain covers – A swimmer can get his/her foot caught in a drain cover and get stuck which could lead to drowning.

Preventing Drowning Accidents

Here are some basic guidelines to help prevent drowning accidents:

• Always have adults supervising children during bath or in swimming pools. A supervising adult should not be distracted while watching over children. I would take less than 5 minutes of inattention for a child to drown.

• Swim with a buddy. Do not go into deep depths alone so that if something goes wrong someone will be there to help.

• Select swimming sites with lifeguards.

• Avoid alcohol before or during swimming, boating or any activities near a body of water. Do not drink alcohol while supervising children as well.

• Learn to swim. Although this is not recommended for children below 4 years old.

• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This may be extremely vital especially if paramedics or lifeguards are not available immediately.

• Do not use air-filled toys as substitute for life jackets. They are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
For people who own a swimming pool at home:

• Install a 4 sided fence that separates the pool from other areas of the house. The fence should be at least 4 feet high and has latches that cannot be opened by children.

• Remove floating toys and devices from the pool after use. These toys can attract children and cause them to lean over the pool to reach floaters.

If you or your family has been a victim of a drowning accident, consult a Los Angeles drowning accident lawyer to help with your case.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

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