PORTLAND, Ore. — With the hot weather and kids out of school, many children are spending more time in the water. That increases the risk of drowning.
"We're so lucky here in Oregon to be blessed with so many bodies of water. We have rivers, lakes, and oceans," said Dr. Tracy Muday, executive medical director of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon.
Swimming and spending time in the water can turn deadly for kids.
"It's important to remember that while the water is a lot of fun, and a great resource in the summer, it's also potentially a source of injury and drowning," Muday said.
One reason is that a child can drown in a matter of seconds.
"With toddlers, oftentimes it happens before anyone even realizes they're missing," Muday said.
And adults and parents may not even know they're in trouble.
"If they're suddenly very quiet, if they're floating with their head tipped back, if they look like they're swimming, and they're not actually making progress, those are all worrisome signs," Muday said.
In the United States, drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old. In Oregon, it's one of the leading causes of unintentional injury and death.
"It can only take a few seconds and most drownings happen before anyone ever realizes that child is out of their field of vision so it's important to have eyes on them and for young kids to be within arm's reach," Muday said.
Swimming lessons can also help reduce the risk of drowning.
"Lessons are super important for kids just as a matter of water safety. It's more than just being good swimmers, but also having awareness around the water," Muday said.