Whether it’s at the beach, a river, a lake or at your local pool, being and playing around water is an integral part of growing up Down Under.
Sadly though, child drowning occurs every year.
2022 saw a concerning rise in children presenting to Sydney hospitals following a drowning incident. This prompted a renewed warning from experts at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and the New South Wales Ambulance.
Parents need to be aware of the risks, especially during the summer season, says Dr SV Soundappan, a trauma surgeon at the Children's Hospital at Westmead in Western Sydney.
You know, [in] warm season, people like to be in the water [it’s] understandable. Australia is a water loving country, we love our water sports, beaches, and pools. So, we just want to make sure we're there in time to remind people to keep the children safe around water. Most times we think this won't happen to me. We should not have that attitude. This can happen to anyone. Particularly at this young age group, all you need is momentary loss of supervision.
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under five in Australia. Dr Soundappan says young children may experience health consequences after near-drowning incidents.
