Drowning Deaths Are Increasing Among Children and Racial Disparities Continue, CDC Finds

A new study looks at the increase in drowning rates and finds disparity among racial groups.

Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah Scott

As a mom of a 3-year-old child, living in a house with a pool, water safety is always top of mind. So, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new Vital Signs study finding that drowning deaths have increased, I wanted to know more. One of the most sobering facts I learned is that drowning is the number one cause of death for kids ages 1 to 4 in the United States.

More than 4,000 people die from drowning every year. Thought about another way, that's about 12 people per day, or one person every two hours who drowns in a bathtub, pool, or open water. That number was higher from 2020–2022, compared to 2019, with the number of deaths increasing to over 4,500 per year. It was the first increase in about two decades.

The CDC report shows rates were highest among children 1 to 4 years old. There are also racial disparities: Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Black people suffered the highest rates of drowning deaths.

What accounts for the increase in deaths and the racial disparity in drowning rates? Well, that’s a complex question—and study authors admit they can’t know all factors that may have led to their findings. However, what they do know is that the pandemic played a role in people not having access to swim lessons, water safety courses, and supervised swimming settings.

It’s also important to emphasize that historically, pools were segregated, preventing access for Black people. Asian and Latinx communities were also impacted. When pools became desegregated, one of the reactions was to close public swimming spaces. The loss of spaces to swim, along with the disrepair of swimming spaces in mostly Black neighborhoods, led to generations of people not swimming.

Swim lessons can also be expensive, or hard to find in rural areas, which means some people simply don’t have the means to learn this life-saving skill.

The statistics help underscore how these factors play out across America. Consider that nearly 40 million adults don’t know how to swim, and more than half have never taken a swim lesson. But while 15% of adults don’t know how to swim, more than 36% of Black adults report not having this life skill, and 2 in 3 Black adults and 3 in 4 Latinx adults report they have never taken a swim lesson.

Racial Disparities in Swim Safety

One person who feels passionately about all kids having access to swim lessons is Cullen Jones, Olympic Gold medalist and Goldfish Swim School ambassador. “Growing up, everyone else around me was playing basketball and football while I was the only Black member of a swim team," says Jones.

The now 40-year-old says he doesn't recall experiencing racism until he was 16. “Another mother, whose son I had just beat in a race, made a comment that I should be off playing basketball,” he shares. “My parents taught me that day not to fight back. Instead, they taught me to not let it stop me. So, I let it fuel me. It fueled me all the way to the Olympics, to a gold medal, to a world record, and now, to being a face for Black people everywhere to break the stigmas and the stereotypes, and to prioritize water safety and learning to swim.”

Jones explains, “Swimming—and drowning—know no color,” and that's why he wants everyone to learn how to swim. His advice for parents of Black children is to think about swimming not just as a sport, but as a life skill.

“Promote inclusivity with your children at a young age," he adds. "Let your child know why representation matters, and why representation matters so much with something that can literally save their life.”

But Jones understands that fear may keep some parents from putting their child in swim lessons. Research has also found Black parents are more likely than other caregivers to hold feelings of caution, anxiety, and fear toward water and water activities.

“I nearly drowned when I was 5 years old, so I can understand when parents say, 'Well, I had a scary experience when I was a kid.' But when they continue with, 'So I'm not going to teach my kid'—no, that's exactly why you need to teach your child how to swim,” he urges.

If parents can take anything away from this study, Jones wants it to be that learning to swim isn't about stereotypes, it's about saving lives. There are also resources available for parents who need them.

“There is still a long way to go, as shown by the new CDC report, but strides have been made in bridging the minority gap, with different legislations and initiatives to help provide access to swim lessons," says Jones. "Learn-to-swim organizations like Goldfish Swim School, where my son learns to swim, are partnering with initiatives like the USA Swimming Foundation and Every Child a Swimmer to help provide swim scholarships and grant funding to at-risk children across North America."

You can plug in your zip code on the Goldfish Swim School website to see classes near you. You may also find free options locally, including through programs at parks offering swim lessons. "There are options out there, and I personally want to make sure that every family that needs them, finds them," says Jones.

Water Safety Basics

“No one should have to lose a loved one to drowning," says Tessa Clemens, PhD, health scientist in CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention and lead author of the report. "Improving access to effective prevention strategies, like basic swimming and water safety skills training, can reduce drowning risk."

The CDC recommends several ways to help stop drowning deaths:

• Learn basic swimming and water safety skills

• Supervise kids, even those who have had swimming lessons, in and around the water

• Build fences (at least 4 feet high and with self-closing and latching gates) that fully enclose and separate the pool from the house

• Wear a life jacket while boating no matter your age or swimming ability

• Don’t drink alcohol before or during swimming, boating, or other water activities

• Learn CPR skills

You can learn more about water safety via The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan.

Meanwhile, Don Plumley, MD, medical director of pediatric trauma at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, tells Parents that these rules can be thought of as the ABCs of pool safety.

• Adult supervision: Children should always always be supervised when in and around water

• Barriers: Pool fences, door locks, and alarms should be utilized

• Classes: Enroll in swim classes for children and CPR certification courses for adults

“We recommend using a water watcher, very similar to a designated driver, who is in charge of watching children without the distraction of a cell phone, alcohol or drugs, or other conversation,” Dr. Plumley says.

And the earlier kids learn to swim, the better. Dr. Plumley urges parents to enroll babies in swim lessons as young as 4 to 6 months.

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Read the original article on Parents.