According to statistics, more than 800 children ages 14 and under drown each year.
And during the summer months, drowning incidents increase. But there are precautions parents can take to keep their children safe around water.
Whether it's at the beach, a swimming pool, or even a bathroom, water can be dangerous for children. Akron Children's Hospital Injury Prevention Specialist Gia Ramsey said children should be supervised at all times when around water.
"Younger children can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. So buckets, toilets and bath tubs are definitely. You always have to have supervision at all times," Ramsey said.
Ramsey said drowning is the second-highest accidental injury for those between the ages of 5 to 24 years old. Car accidents are number one.
"So, any age, it's very important to always be swimming with someone else," Ramsey said.
And even if a child has taken swimming lessons before, they still need to be supervised. Because the faster you find them, the easier it is to keep them alive.
"Drowning is silent, so you can't always hear them drowning. That's why you always have to be visually watching them," Ramsey said.
The proper safety gear is also important and floatation devices are not alternatives to life preservers. Children should always wear a life vest for certain activities, and children 10 years and younger should always be wearing a U.S. Coast Guard approved life vest while on a boat.
"Life vests are always recommended. Certain life vests actually will flip the children over, even if they're unconscious. So they'll be face up instead of face down in the water," Ramsey said.
There should always be someone CPR certified close by, and you should always have a phone on hand.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all pools should be fenced in and they have alarms for gates. So then you know if a child is playing in the backyard and you're inside that they're not going to be able to fall into the pool.
