Besides scrubbing behind the ears, bathtime is supposed to be fun time. But the bathroom can turn into a danger zone so quickly. Tragically, an average of 87 children under the age of five drown at home each year and 80 percent of those deaths happen in a bathtub, reports the Consumer Product Safety commission (CDC). But that statistic may be deceiving.
For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning.
Attorney Jeffrey Killino is not only an experienced lawyer — he is also a child advocate. When a child injury or death occurs because of neglect, he has the know-how and resources to guide you through the legal process to get what you and your family are entitled to. If your child has suffered a traumatic drowning injury because of someone’s negligence, Jeffrey Killino can help. Contact child injury attorney Jeffrey Killino today at 877-875-2927.
All child bathroom drowning tragedies are preventable. The CDC advises that kids in or near water (including bathtubs and even a bucket of water), are closely supervised at all times.
A drowning can take a lot less than 10 minutes to occur, and in even less than 4-6 inches of water. Any water that is of a sufficient depth to cover a child’s nose and mouth is capable of drowning a child, and about a minute is all the time it takes for the child to lose consciousness if he or she is under water. It can happen when your back is turned, so even a very minor lapse in judgement (there is no such thing as “me time” with toddlers in the tub) can be catastrophic.
Toilets are also a potential hazard. Toddlers can wander into a bathroom and climb on the toilet bowl. If they fall in headfirst and get stuck, they can quickly drown in the toilet water.=
Child Bathroom Drowning Prevention
One major prevention measure is learning CPR. Take a lifeguarding course. Since time is critical in preventing brain damage once a child has begun to drown, being able to perform CPR quickly may limit the severity of any injuries due to accidental drowning.
There are clamps you can put on the toilet to keep the lid down so that the child can’t accidentally fall in –when you’re not paying attention.
The simplest way to avoid bathroom injuries is to make this room inaccessible to children. Maybe install a latch on the door at adult height so the child can’t get into the bathroom when you aren’t around. And be sure any lock on the door can be unlocked from the outside, just in case your child locks him or herself in.
We recognize that a child drowning death or drowning injury will change our clients’ lives forever. As a result, we provide personalized and caring representation, while zealously fighting for our clients at every stage of their cases, including trial, if necessary. When you need a lawyer who will exhaustively investigate a drowning case and make sure that every responsible party is held accountable, contact the Child Injury Killino Firm, where keeping children safe is our primary goal.
To speak with one of our attorneys, call us toll free at 877-875-2927, or send an email to our child drowning injury lawyer today. We will respond promptly to your inquiry.
