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share |88 Child Drowning Deaths and Counting
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88 children have already drowned in Texas this year (read June 29 press release) and many of these tragedies could have been prevented if the adults they counted on had been vigilant about water safety.
- In 2010, 78 children drowned in Texas.
- In 2009, 113 children drowned in Texas.
Summer should be fun and water recreation is a great way to beat the heat. But summer is also when the most children drown.
Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of five. And, water is especially dangerous for toddlers who are just starting to explore. They are attracted to water because it's fun and don't understand that is can also be deadly.
Drowning can happen in almost any amount of water, indoors or outdoors. It happens in ponds, creeks, pools, lakes, rivers, drainage ditches, spas, bathtubs, buckets, ice chests, and even toilets. It only takes a few minutes for a child to drown.
Never leave a child unsupervised around water, inside and outside of the house.
6 Hot Car Deaths
There have been six hot car deaths in Texas this year. A 6-month-old girl was left in a car in New Braunfels, a 1-year-old was left in a car in Austin, a 1-year-old was left in a car in Hidalgo County, a 3-year-old boy was left in a car in La Vernia, a 3-year-old boy wandered out of the house and into a car in Cameron County, and a 4-year-old girl was left in a car seat in Johnson County.
- In 2010, Texas led the nation with 13 hot car deaths.
- In 2009, six Texas children died in hot cars.
It's hard to imagine parents or caregivers leaving children alone in cars, especially in the heat of the summer. Yet caring adults have been known to forget the silent or sleeping child in the backseat. Others do not realize how risky it is to leave children in the car.
What begins as a quick errand can turn to tragedy in a matter of minutes. If children are trapped inside cars, especially during seriously hot weather, it can result in heat exhaustion or heat stroke, leading to permanent disability or death.
See & Save
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services urges all parents and caregivers to remember to "see and save" their children, whether they are near water or in unattended vehicles. Please use the materials on this website to increase public awareness in child-care facilities and throughout your community. Feel free to download and print materials from this website.