injuries poisoning
Drowning
Prevention of Drowning
Use of alcohol or drugs is a major risk factor and should be avoided before and during swimming and boating, and when supervising children around water. Swimmers should use common sense and be aware of weather and water conditions. Swimmers should be accompanied by an experienced swimmer or swim only in guarded areas. Swimming should stop if the swimmer looks or feels very cold, because Hypothermia may impair judgment. Ocean swimmers should learn to escape rip currents by swimming parallel to the beach rather than directly toward the beach. Swimmers should be discouraged from dangerous underwater breath-holding behaviors (DUBBs). If they practice them, they should be supervised and should know their dangers. Swimmers should avoid swimming near a boat exhaust port, which can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Public swimming areas should be supervised by lifeguards trained in water safety and resuscitation as well as rescue techniques. Life preservers, life jackets, and a shepherd's crook should be available close to poolside. Emergency airway equipment, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and immediate telephone access to emergency medical services should be available. Comprehensive community prevention programs should target high-risk groups, teach children to swim as early as possible, and teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to as many adolescents and adults as possible. Owners of private pools should comply with local laws regarding pool safety, have immediate telephone access to emergency medical services, and know about resuscitation after drowning. Children should wear flotation devices that have been approved by the US Coast Guard or other equivalent authority when in or around water. Air-filled swimming aids and foam toys (water wings, noodles, etc) are not designed to keep swimmers from drowning and should not be used as a substitute for approved safety equipment. Children must be constantly supervised by an adult when around water, including beaches, pools, and ponds. Infants and toddlers should also be supervised, ideally within arm’s length, when near toilets, bathtubs, or any collection of water. Studies in the US and China have shown that formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of fatal drowning among children ages 1 to 4; however, even children who have been taught how to swim require constant supervision when in or around water. Adults should remove water from containers such as pails and buckets immediately after use. Swimming pools should be surrounded with a locked fence≥1.5 m in height. Before embarking, boaters should wear life jackets approved by the US Coast Guard or other equivalent authority and they should check weather and water conditions. Nonswimmers and small children in a boat should wear appropriately approved life jackets at all times. Because consuming any quantity of alcohol increases the risk of drowning, operators and passengers on recreational boats should generally avoid consuming alcohol. People who are debilitated or older or have seizure disorders or other medical conditions that can alter consciousness require constant supervision when they are boating or swimming and when in bathtubs. People with a personal or family history of unexplained drowning not attributable to alcohol use, drug use, or a seizure disorder merit evaluation for Overview of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathies . 