Updated on: 11/13/2019
As parents know, the job of preventing child injuries is an all-day, year-round job that follows you wherever you go. What does change, however, are the things around us that can add to the risk of a serious accident. In the summertime, the risk of a child being hurt increases significantly, due partly to the fact that parents are trying to enjoy the warm weather, too. Another factor that contributes to the increased risk is the fact that more injured children are admitted to emergency rooms during the summer for near-drownings than for any other injury.
Summertime Creates Risk of Child Injuries
It’s summertime. Summer vacation is setting in for kids, while most parents continue down the road of busy work schedules and juggling the kids. Except now, children have open schedules instead of spending most of the day at school.
That’s where parents come in with summer camps and weekend trips to the lake. But those outdoor activities that promote family bonding and healthy lifestyles can put kids at higher risk of drowning or near-drowning.
“One of the most popular outdoor activities for families in the summer is boating, especially here in Seattle,” says Chris Davis, principal attorney and founder at the Davis Law Group. “But the risks of child injuries, namely drowning, are real for kids on the water, especially because it can be so difficult to identify.”
Drowning Does Not Look Like Drowning
If the family is out on the boat on Lake Washington and little Sally or Timmy falls in the water, chances are they will be able to notice it and take appropriate action. But the risk of an accidental drowning is greatest in situations where parents don’t think they need to worry about anything.
An example of this situation is a group of family and friends relaxing during a day trip to the beach. Adults are talking with one another, oblivious to the fact that even just a few inches of water could result in the near-drowning of a child. Sally is playing in the water with Timmy, who suddenly falls into a deeper area and is unable to swim.
Because the young boy’s voice cannot be projected from underneath the water, his parents are none the wiser. Fortunately, Sally calls for help and an adult pulls Timmy out of the water, relieved to find the child breathing.
This is just one hypothetical example of a perfectly normal afternoon that nearly took a fatal turn for the worst. In fact, most instances of near-drowning result in serious child injuries, and Timmy likely would have been taken to the hospital to be evaluated and treated.
Seattle’s Top-Rated Child Injury Attorneys
The award-winning Washington personal injury lawyers at Davis Law Group have handled many high profile cases involving child injuries, resulting in favorable results for our clients. Founder and principal attorney Chris Davis wrote a book on child injuries entitled, Little Kids, Big Accidents. Click here to order a free copy of the book. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Seattle’s top child accident attorneys today by calling 206-727-4000.