A 3-year-old boy was hospitalized after suffering a near drowning in an Orange County swimming pool accident in an Irvine, California, community pool the night of July 25, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. On July 26, 2009, another 3-year-old boy in Fullerton suffered a near-drowning in a backyard swimming pool accident, the newspaper reports. Both boys are said to be recovering.
The toddler in Irvine was apparently playing in a community pool in Irvine with his parents and older brother. The parents, who were out of the water, noticed the child was floating at the bottom of the pool. The older brother pulled the boy up from the bottom, officials said. A bystander gave the boy mouth-to-mouth resuscitation reviving him. The incident in Fullerton occurred in a backyard swimming pool. The boy's father apparently pulled him out of the pool and began to perform CPR. The child is reportedly recovering in an area hospital.
I'm extremely relieved that both these children survived these swimming pool accidents. It could have been a lot worse. I hope neither of these children suffered catastrophic or irreversible injuries as a result of their near-drowning. Please keep these little boys in your prayers.
Drowning accidents are the leading cause of injuries and deaths among children under 5, according to the Orange County Fire Authority's Web site. More than 80 percent of the drownings in Orange County occur in residential backyard pools or spas. Drowning or near-drowning can occur quickly, always without warning, without a splash and without a cry for help. Constant, effective supervision and pool safety barriers are a must to help prevent such tragedies. Just this year the OCFA reports 28 emergency responses in Orange County in connection with swimming pool accidents and six drowning fatalities. Near-drownings are also extremely serious because they can result in irreversible brain injury and brain damage when the extended submersion cuts off oxygen supply to the brain.
Drowning and near-drownings are entirely preventable. Please do not leave children unattended or unsupervised in the water. If you are with them, please make sure you are watching them constantly. Drowning can happen within a matter of seconds. If your child has been injured or killed in a swimming pool accident because of someone else's negligence--whether it's a daycare provider, club, caregiver or acquaintance--please understand that you have rights. If you would like to find out more information about your legal rights and options, please contact an Orange County personal injury lawyer. You may be able to seek compensation on behalf of your child to cover medical expenses and even long-term care expenses.
SLS Consulting