Citation

Leone B, Kielbasa J, Bria C. Fla. Pediatr. 2023; 43(3): 18-24.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Florida Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Background and Objectives Drowning is a leading cause of preventable death in children, especially in Central Florida. Central Florida is a common destination for families, and with this vacationing population, drowning incidents are consistently increasing. Age, demographics, swimming proficiency, and lack of supervision have been shown to contribute to pediatric drownings. However, drowning literature lacks studies focusing on specific regions. This study aims to describe the causes of drowning in children presenting to Nemours Children's Hospital in Central Florida. This data will be used to create educational interventions to reduce these incidents.

Methods This study examined any child (birth to 18 years) presenting to Nemours Children's Hospital of Central Florida who drowned and died or who drowned and survived. Patient charts were accessed through Epic, and demographic variables analyzed included zip code, sex, age, and race. This study also gathered data on the patient's presenting history, length of stay, and extent of required treatment (ED, inpatient, or discharge).

Results Deidentified data was analyzed through summative analyses of variables based on age group and location.

RESULTS showed that males under five years of age had the highest drowning rates, with a 2% mortality rate overall. Most children drowned in a pool, and the mean length of stay was 0.56 days.

Conclusions The data collected gives insight into the causes of drowning within Central Florida and the population at most significant risk. Trends in drowning should be assessed with a larger population to appropriately create targeted interventions for this specific region. Introduction Drowning is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the pediatric population and a severe problem worldwide.1 The World Health Organization defines drowning as "the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in a

Language: en