Drowning is one of the leading causes of death amongst children and is a major public health concern. It is a preventable tragedy, yet it continues to cause the loss of many young lives around the world. Here, we provide some alarming statistics of the number of children who have lost their lives to drowning.
Alarming Statistics
According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 360,000 people die each year from drowning, and over 90% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In 2017 alone, an estimated 5,000 children under the age of 15 died from drowning in the United States. This is an alarming statistic, as it is the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children in the United States.
In Australia, drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of death for children aged 5 to 14. In the United Kingdom, drowning is the third leading cause of death for children aged 5 to 14.
Tragic Loss of Lives
Tragically, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for children in the United States, and it is also the leading cause of injury-related death globally. It is estimated that around 50% of drowning deaths are preventable.
In the United States, drowning is the leading cause of death for children in the age group of 1-4 years and the second leading cause of death for children in the age group of 5-14 years. In the United Kingdom, drowning is the third leading cause of death for children aged 5-14.
It is a tragedy that so many children are losing their lives to drowning and it is important to understand the risks and take steps to prevent drowning.
Drowning is a preventable tragedy, yet it continues to cause the loss of many young lives around the world. The statistics of children who have lost their lives to drowning are alarming and it is important to take steps to prevent this tragic loss of life.