Of course, if we and our kids stayed in bed all day and never went anywhere, we’d technically be safer than we are living our lives in an active manner. But what kind of life would that be? Learning about pool-related injuries shouldn’t keep you away from water, but they should help you take the necessary precautions to reduce your and your children’s risks. Awareness is the beginning of protection.
Severity of Swimming Pool Injuries
Like many injuries and accidental deaths, children are most at risk for pool-related injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control, five times the number of children who drown each year in the US receive care in the ER for injuries caused while being in a swimming pool. The U.S. Product Safety Commission has done a study on these injuries, resulting in the following statistic: Nearly half (47%) of children with pool-related injuries reported that those injuries occurred in a residential pool. And many of those injuries were fairly severe. In fact, over half of drowning victims brought to the ER required hospitalization for further care. Many non-fatal drowning injuries can result in various health issues such as learning and memory problems, due to severe brain damage.
For victims 14 and younger who nearly drown, the cost is typically more than $8,000 for the initial visit to the hospital; when long-term care is needed, costs could escalate to over $250,000 per year. If brain damage does result, cost is, of course, far from the main concern; yet it points to the severity of the problem. The cost of medical treatment and losses could cost up to $5.5 million.
Specific Types of Swimming Pool Injuries
One type of swimming pool injury that you may not have heard of before is Circulation Entrapment Injury. Basically, this can occur when a swimmer is trapped due to the suction that occurs when water rushes out of a pool’s drain. The problem typically occurs when a swimmer’s jewelry, accessories, hair, or limbs get stuck. Like most pool-related injuries, Circulation Entrapment Injury is most common among young children who lack the strength to free themselves from the suction.
How common is Circulation Entrapment Injury? Between the years 2009 and 2013, there were 33 reported instances of Circulation Entrapment. In 85% of those situations, swimmers suffered injuries as a result. Of the 33 victims, 21 of them were children under age 16. Remarkably 64% of those injuries occurred in a public place.
A simple way to lessen risks of Circulation Entrapment is to avoid wearing — or allowing others to wear — necklaces and other types of jewelry or other accessories in your pool. You can also make sure long hair is secured and only snugly fitting garments are worn.
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Lyon Financial
Since 1979 Lyon Financial has made the backyard resort dream come true for over 400,000 families across the U.S. Through our solid relationships with more than 3,000 pool contractors and our continued commitment to putting our clients first, we have built a reputation as the first choice in providing pool financing solutions. For more information, visit lyonfinancial.net or call (877) 754-5966 today.
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