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A child can drown in seconds. Doctors want more families to be prepared
Deaths rose to 865 in 2024 after pandemic disruptions and a national lifeguard shortage, according to health officials.
- After years of decline, U.S. child drowning deaths have risen, with the death rate increasing from 1.1 to 1.2 per 100,000 children and fatalities climbing from 756 in 2019 to 865 in 2024.
- The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted swimming lessons and lifeguard training, while Tessa Clemens, CDC Foundation senior director for drowning prevention initiatives, cited increased pool construction and lapses in supervision as contributing factors.
- Grocery executive Stew Leonard, whose 21-month-old son drowned in 1989, established a foundation that has funded over 250,000 swimming lessons to prevent similar accidents.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends lifeguard standards and pool fencing, while Leonard advises caregivers to eliminate distractions: "Shut your cellphones off when you're around the pool."
- While preliminary data for last year suggests child drownings declined, the CDC Foundation continues providing water safety training in 11 states, including Florida and California, to address persistent risks.
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44 Articles
44 Articles
Los Angeles Times+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Doctors and other experts sound the alarm: in recent years there has been an increase in the number of children drowning in the United States.
·Los Angeles, United States
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Associated Press News+38 Reposted by 38 other sources
A child can drown in seconds. Doctors want more families to be prepared
Doctors and others are sounding an alarm: More U.S. children have been drowning in recent years. Child drowning deaths rose from about 750 in 2019 to more than 860 in 2024, the most recent year for which complete data is available.
·New York, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources44
Leaning Left18Leaning Right5Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution47% Left
Bias Distribution
- 47% of the sources lean Left
47% Left
L 47%
C 40%
13%
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