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PITTSBURGH (NewRadio 1020 KDKA) — As a deadly swimming pool season comes to an end, experts are reminding parents and guardians the best ways to keep kids safe in the water.
Drowning is the number one cause of death for children between the ages of one and four.
At least five Pittsburgh-area children under the age of seven have died this summer from drowning.
Dr. Raymond Pitetti, chief of pediatric emergency medicine at UPMC Children’s Hospital says it can happen so fast
“It does not take long for a child to drown,” UPMC Children’s Hospital chief of pediatric emergency medicine Dr. Raymond Pitetti tells KDKA Radio.
“It can take less than a minute.”
That's why he says parents and guardians must always pay attention, even if a lifeguard is on duty.
“The reality is they really shouldn’t relax,” Pitetti says, adding that lifeguards have more people to watch and may not be able to see a child on the bottom of a busy pool.
He says pool alarms are becoming more popular in private pools that sound an alert when any waves are detected.
But he stresses constant supervision, and knowing life-saving measures just in case.
“All parents, in my opinion, should know CPR,” Pitetti says. “Especially if you own a pool in your back yard I would really recommend CPR.”
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