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The Subtle Signs Of Drowning Every Parent Should Watch Out For This Summer
The second-leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1 to 4 is drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is because the majority of kids under six who drown in a pool were not supposed to be in the water, said Dr. Sarah Denny, an Ohio-based pediatrician, American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson and former lifeguard. 'We know that at this age they are mobile, they're fast, they're curious, but they have no sense of danger whatsoever,' Denny said. As pool party and beach season kicks off this summer, so do the number of kids that drown: Two-thirds of drowning deaths for children in America happen between May and August. To keep your kids safe, drop your assumptions of how well you think a child should swim and how you think someone will typically call for help if they are in the water. Here are the signs of distress to watch out for and myths about drowning that just aren't true. If you realize a normally talkative child is suddenly silent, check in on them. Unfortunately, drownings often happen when adults nearby are unaware that a child is in danger. The common pop culture representation of drowning is not what it usually looks like, but the idea is pervasive. In a 2016 survey by Safe Kids Worldwide, about half of U.S. parents of young children said they believed that if their child was drowning nearby, they would hear splashing, crying or screaming. But too many times, drowning occurs silently. 'People in distress in the water rarely yell or wave for help, because they are spending their time trying to keep themselves afloat,' said B. Chris Brewster, chair of the national certification committee for the United States Lifesaving Association and a former lifeguard chief in San Diego. 'If you are going to wait until someone yells 'Help!' or waves their arm, you may completely miss the person struggle and submersion.' Denny noted that it's much more common for children to drown silently. 'They are just trying to get their mouth above the water. They don't have extra energy to wave or yell,' she said. 'It's very quiet and very quick. As a former lifeguard and having seen this happen, I can tell you that if you are not looking for it, it's hard to necessarily notice.' That's why it is so important to keep eye contact on children and be within arm's length of them in water at all times, as multiple water safety guides recommend adults do for beginner swimmers. Drowning in kids can appear as an obvious struggle to stay afloat. 'The problem is that can be a very brief period of time,' Brewster said. Denny said subtle drowning distress can also show up as looking panicked and bobbing up and down in the water. Other signs can include an unfocused gaze, closed eyes, hyperventilating, a mouth at water level, hair over eyes, a person in vertical position not using their legs in the water or appearing to be climbing an invisible ladder, according to ocean rescue experts. A sudden disappearance is also a big clue. If you can't find a kid and you are near a body of water, check the water ASAP. 'If you are somewhere where there is water or a pool and you are looking for a child and you can't find them, check the pool first,' Denny said. Even if you are within sight of a pool, don't assume you will always see a person submerged under it. 'People think you can easily see beneath the water where the person is, but because of light refraction and even a little bit of wind on the water if it's an outdoor pool or reflection from an overhead light if it's an indoor pool, it can be very difficult to see below the surface of the water,' Brewster said. The most important and effective step to reducing fatal drowning is to prevent children from getting into this kind of dangerous scenario in the first place.1. Assign dedicated watchers every time there is a pool gathering or beach outing. 'When everybody is watching, nobody is watching,' Denny said. 'We see this all the time: A whole group of adults are around and a child drowns, and it's not anyone's fault, but it's just [that] everyone assumes everyone else is watching.' An assigned watcher should not be drinking or distracted with doing a separate activity like reading a book or playing cards, even if a lifeguard is present, according to Water Safety USA organization. Their full-time job does not end until people are out of the water or they hand off responsibilities to another person. To prevent fatigue, Safe Kids Worldwide recommends setting a 15-minute shift of responsibility before the watcher passes off duties to the next assigned person. 2. Have barriers in place. Don't let curious young children fall into places where they shouldn't. For kids who don't swim and would not be expected to be in the water, 'the issue isn't normally the signs of drowning,' Brewster said, noting, 'In that case, the major issue is ensuring the pool is fenced.' To prevent kids from getting into a pool without adult supervision, safety experts recommend four-sided fencing with a self-latching and self-closing gate that will separate the pool from the house and yard. Detailed guidelines for what safety barriers in home pools should look like are available online from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 3. Don't assume that just because a child has had a swim lesson that they can't drown. Yes, swimming lessons can definitely reduce a child's chances of drowning, but they are not a guarantee against it. 60% of parents surveyed by Safe Kids Worldwide said they would not worry as much about their child drowning if their child has had swim lessons. If a child swims well in a pool, it doesn't necessarily mean that they will swim excellently in a lake or an ocean. A child may have also forgotten how to be a good swimmer during the COVID pandemic, Denny said. 'Kids have not been in swimming lessons because of COVID; they may not have had the same water exposures that they had in summers previous to COVID,' she said, noting that it's key to have realistic expectations of your child's swimming abilities, as kids may think they can swim better than they do. 4. Learn CPR. If you happen to be the only bystander, knowing CPR can make the difference between life and death for a child. 'Knowing CPR and being able to start bystander CPR has actually been shown to improve long-term outcomes in children,' Denny said. 'Even if you don't know how long the person has been in, start right away.' Look up trainings in your community, or check out the American Heart Association, which has online and in-person trainings. My 6-Year-Old Son Drowned In Our Pool. Here's What I Wish I Had Known To Keep Him Safe. This Is How Easily Your Brain Can Forget A Kid In A Car Childhood Drownings Are Up. Here's How Parents Can Keep Kids Safe.
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19-05-2025
- Entertainment
This City Was Just Named the No. 1 Summer Destination in the U.S. by Tripadvisor
Summer has always been known as peak travel season for Las Vegas, and now we have the data to back it up. Tripadvisor's 2025 Annual Summer Travel Index puts Las Vegas at the top the list of domestic destinations for U.S. travelers between June and September. The entertainment capital is an easy fit for summer travel: it's easy to get to, caters to all traveler types, and it's always changing. In recent years, Vegas gained a $3 billion luxury mega-resort, established itself as a new base for Formula 1, and opened one of America's most unique concert venues. And somehow, Sin City still finds ways to surprise repeat visitors. Here's what to know about visiting this summer—from pool season to where to escape the heat. Pool season is just starting in Vegas, and with summer temps often hitting the triple digits, outdoor swimming spots are in high demand. The scene varies quite a bit, so it's worth knowing what vibe you're going for before you book. For example, The Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Pool and the pool at Fontainebleau both host an after-dark outdoor movie series each summer. But for those looking for a private experience, you can't go wrong with the Waldorf-Astoria Las Vegas pool, which features a Turkish hammam in its adjoining spa. In the mood to socialize? The soon-to-be-unveiled Go Pool at Flamingo is expected guests 21-and-up entertained with daylong DJ sets, waterfalls, and frozen cocktails served at a swim-up bar built in the middle of the pool. Best of all, it's free and open to non-guests. Palm Tree Beach Club at MGM Grand is another fantastic option for pool party fans: the dayclub is run by Tao Group (the company behind Hakkasan and Marquee) and features a lineup of guest DJs like Kygo, Tiesto and Steve Aoki. Related Stories 30 Best Things to Do in Las Vegas 12 Best Las Vegas Hotels For such a small city, the restaurant scene in Vegas is phenomenal. This summer, a good place to start would be Via Via, a brand new food hall opening inside the Venetian Resort this June. The hotly anticipated food hall will put acclaimed eateries—like New York City's Scarr Pizza, New Orleans' Turkey & The Wolf, and the first non-LA iteration of Howlin' Ray's Hot Chicken—all under one roof. Elsewhere on the Strip, you'll want to visit Wicked Spoon inside the Cosmopolitan for an all-day brunch spot with bottomless mimosas. For fusion fare, dine at Best Friend, spotlighting Roy Choi's inventive dishes like kimchi carbonara, Kogi short rib tacos, and out-of-this-world Medjool date cake. Travelers who venture off-Strip will be rewarded by equally fantastic meals at places like Esther's Kitchen. The Arts District eatery is always packed, thanks to its unbelievably delicious sourdough pizza and housemade pasta dishes. Down the street, Main Street Provisions serves steaks and seafood classics like fresh oysters and sea scallops. And Soul Belly BBQ is a must for anyone interested in Texas-style bbq. On weekends, the restaurant also hosts live music acts. With such brutal summer heat, it's entirely reasonable to want to spend the whole of your Vegas trip inside. However, if you're willing to get an early start, it's still possible to enjoy the natural beauty of a place like Red Rock Canyon, which is just 25 minutes from the Strip and easily accessible by Uber or Lyft. Show up around 6 am, just before sunrise, for a jaw-dropping hike through gorgeous red rock formations. The Fountains of Bellaggio are another popular outdoor activity—and with good reason. Voted the top Las Vegas attraction on Tripadvisor, the fountains soar nearly 500 feet in the air, with accompanying orchestral music and lights. (Pro-tip: for smaller crowds, go on a weeknight.) On those sizzling days when you're itching to explore, a good compromise would be Fremont Street Experience. The outdoor pedestrian mall is covered with a pavilion that doubles as a massive LED screen, so you can stay cool and enjoy state-of-the-art graphics. While strolling the promenade, you can dip in and out of some of Vegas' oldest landmark casinos, like Golden Nugget and Binion's. If you want to get some shopping done closer to the Strip, the Grand Canal Shoppes are a good place to start. The indoor mall is modeled after the streets of Venice, Italy, complete with arched bridges, piazzas, and canals. When you're done shopping, book a gondola ride and be serenaded by an opera singer!
