Infants and Toddlers at Risk of Drowning in Bathtubs, Spas and BucketsX80 percent of deaths involve children younger than two
WASHINGTON, D.C. - When pool season ends, many parents believe the risk of drowning also ends, but data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released today indicates 311 reported non-pool drownings from 2002 through 2004 of children younger than five years of age. More than 80 percent of these deaths involved children younger than two years old. The pattern is much different than that observed in pool-related incidents where children younger than two accounted for 38 percent of deaths (involving children younger than five).



Bathtubs were involved in most (71 percent) of the non-pool drowning deaths from 2002-2004. Many of these incidents involved caregivers leaving the room to answer the phone/door or to retrieve an item. In some incidents, an older sibling was left to watch a younger sibling.



"Infants and toddlers need particularly close supervision," said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. "Drowning can occur within seconds in only inches of water, so parents need think of, not just the pool, but any water anywhere as dangerous."



CPSC recommends parents and caregivers follow these safety tips when children are around bathtubs, spas, buckets, or decorative ponds or fountains:



* Never leave young children alone near any water. Young children can drown in even small amounts of water.

* Always keep a young child within arm's reach in a bathtub. Never leave to answer the phone, answer the door, get a towel or for any other reason. If you must leave, take the child with you.

* Don't leave a baby or toddler in a bathtub under the care of another young child.

* Never leave a bucket containing even a small amount of liquid unattended. Toddlers can fall headfirst into buckets and drown. After using a bucket, always empty and store it where young children cannot reach it. Buckets left outside can collect rainwater and are a hazard.

* Prevent children from gaining access to spas or hot tubs when not in use; always secure with safety covers and barriers.

* Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). It can be a lifesaver when seconds count.



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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.



To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

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