“Cook Children's is really invested in prevention in our community, and it's written into our promise,” said Jillian Mitchell, program coordinator for the injury prevention team at the Center for Community Health. 

Drowning is the leading cause of injury for children ages 1 to 4 at the highest risk. According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment, Cook Children’s Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper treated 224 drowning-related injuries from 2021 to 2023. These incidents occurred in bathtubs, open water (lakes, rivers, and ponds), and pools or hot tubs.  

Cook Children's Health Care System shows a slight decrease in drownings in the last five years: 

Mitchell notes that as summer vacation and hot weather arrive, families will be looking to cool off, but months may have passed since the last dip in the pool. 

“As we're heading out to any kind of open water or to a pool, it's important to have preparation top of mind,” said Mitchell. 

Lifesaving Access: Loaner Life Jacket Station 

To help protect swimmers in open water, Cook Children’s supports more than 60 Loaner Life Jacket Stations across North Texas. The stations provide five different sizes of U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, ranging from infant to adult, which families can borrow and return free of charge. Each station features educational graphics detailing how to properly fit and secure the vests. 

Local officials at Lake Worth report that the stations are heavily utilized, with life jackets consistently borrowed and safely returned by the end of each weekend day. 

“We want to make sure that that resource is available for families that maybe don't have the opportunity to get a life jacket for their child,” said Mitchell. In 2025 alone, the program distributed more than 1,800 U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets to area lakes across Tarrant, Denton, Rockwall, and Stephens counties.  

Water Safety Tips 

• Transition time
  • Make sure to put a life jacket on children before you get out of the car.
  • If a child goes missing, check the water first.
• Designate a Water Watcher to ensure constant visual supervision.
  • A Water Watcher should be in-reach of the children in the pool.
  • A 10-15 minute shift rotation is recommended. During that time, Water Watchers should not be distracted by conversations, cell phones, reading, etc.
• Keep backyards and bathrooms safe.
  • Dump all water buckets and empty kiddie pools when they are not in use.
  • Install multiple barriers in areas leading to pools and spas: pool fences, self-closing, self-latching gates and door alarms.
  • Keep the pool area picked up and clear of toys and other items which might attract an unsupervised child.
  • Never leave children unattended in the bathtub.
• Wear “U.S. Coast Guard-Approved” or “USCG approved,” life jackets
  • As your child grows, the life jacket needs to meet their new weight.
  • Get a new life jacket if there are rips and tears or if the straps are fraying.
  • Do not rely on floats or other toys to keep children safe.
• Sign up for CPR and swim lessons.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting children in swim lessons as young as 12 months old to reduce the risk of drowning.
  • The National Drowning Prevention Alliance provides parents with a printable questionnaire to help identify the right swim program for their children.
• Have a safety plan in place.
  • If an emergency does happen, remember that seconds count. Call 911 immediately and then begin CPR while EMS is in route.
  • Know water conditions before you get into open water. Water conditions in lakes and oceans can vary on a daily basis.
  • Sit near a lifeguard if there is one present. 

"Combining swim lessons, life jackets, dedicated water watchers, brightly colored swimsuits, and pool fences creates multiple layers of protection," Mitchell said. "The more layers of safety you put in place, the lower the risk of drowning."

Related stories: 

• Big Game, Big Safety: Preventing Hot Car Tragedies 

• Make a Splash: Why Swim Lessons are Essential This Summer 

• The Power of Prevention: Cook Children's Reports a Drop in Drownings 

• Lifeguard Your Child: 6 Tips for Keeping Bathtime Safe in Every Season 

Drowning is the leading cause of injury, with children between the ages 1 to 4 at the highest risk. According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment, Cook Children’s Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper treated 224 drowning-related injuries from 2021 to 2023. These incidents occurred in bathtubs, open water (lakes, rivers, and ponds), and pools or hot tubs.  

“Spring break is really our kind of entry point of getting back into the water,” said Jillian Mitchell, program coordinator for the injury prevention team at the Center for Community Health. 

Cook Children’s Loaner Life Jacket Station provide five different sizes of U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets, ranging from infant to adult, that can be borrowed and returned. The goal is to make sure no child or adult drowns at a public lake because they didn’t have access to a life jacket. In 2025 more than 1,800 U.S. Coast Guard life jackets to area lakes in Tarrant, Denton, Rockwall, and Stephens counties.  

Mitchell encourages families and caregivers to make a plan before heading to the water. The “Lifeguard Your Child” program teaches parents how to create a safety plan for children anytime they are around water. 

According to data from the Community Health Needs Assessment, 85% of drowning-related injuries were pool-or hot tub-related. Of those 8% were fatal, with most fatalities occurring with children ages 0 to 4. 

While many public and community pools are not yet open, families may travel to lakes, rivers, or oceans.  

“Open water behaves differently than in a pool,” explained Mitchell, “It's dark. It's deep, it's murky. Anyone that is on a lake or a river or in the ocean should wear a life jacket all the time because it is an unpredictable water source.” 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids begin swim lessons as young as 1 year old. 

Mitchell shares these tips for families heading to the water for their spring break: 

• Learn about the flag system when you go out to the beach. 

• Sit near a lifeguard if there is one present.
• Look for a life jacket that's approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Spring break is a great time to pull out those life jackets from last year. You may find that your child has outgrown the life jacket.
• Make sure that your children know they should always ask permission before going to the water. 

Related Stories:  

• Expert Tips for a Safe Spring Break: Aim for Safety
• Lifeguard Your Child: 6 Tips for Keeping Bathtime Safe in Every Season
• The Power of Prevention: Cook Children's Reports a Drop in Drownings
• Lifeguard Your Child: 5 Water Safety Tips for Parents 

Surfer Bethany Hamilton knows the pain of losing a loved one to a bathtub drowning. Fifteen months ago, Bethany’s three-year-old nephew died after drowning in a bathtub. According to the family’s donation page, the toddler was sick and soaking in a bathtub with six inches of water just 15 feet away from the kitchen and living room. The page stated, “He was found unconscious--which is baffling as he's the strongest child of his 5 siblings at that age and an amazing swimmer, even in the open ocean.”

Sophia Price, trauma injury prevention specialist at Cook Children’s, offers tips to follow at bathtime:

1. Always ensure an adult stays at the side of the tub, in reach of the child, as this is too big of a responsibility for siblings.
2. Avoid multi-tasking such as talking on the phone, washing clothes, preparing dinner or anything that will cause a distraction from bathing the child.
3. Always be prepared by making sure to gather all bathtub essentials such as towels, soap, lotion and toys prior to bathing the child, so that the child is not left alone in the tub.
4. If you must leave the bathroom during bathtime, wrap the child in a towel and take them with you. If there are other children in the house, be sure to secure the door to the bathroom.
5. When bathtime is finished, be sure to drain the tub of all water, and remove all toys.
6. Use safe proof items to secure the bathroom door to prevent children from accessing the bathroom without an adult.

Drowning is preventable, and we want to help your children stay safe. Learn more about how to keep your family safe during bath time with our Lifeguard Your Child campaign.

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4, and the second leading cause for kids 1-14 in Texas. 88% of drownings occur with at least one adult present. 

That’s scary information, but there are steps you can take to help protect your child around water, whether it is swim time, unplanned time around water or even bath time:

1. Designate a Water Watcher to ensure constant visual supervision.

• Drowning occurs silently, so designate a Water Watcher to watch children in and around all water, even when a lifeguard is present. A Water Watcher should be in-reach of the children in the pool. The safest way is to be in the pool with them.
• A Water Watcher tag can be used to designate responsible adults to watch the water when you have a party at the pool, lake or beach. At social gatherings, 10-15 minute shifts are recommended. During that time, Water Watchers should not be distracted by conversations, cell phones, reading, etc.
• Stay alert. There isn’t a more important responsibility.

2. Keep backyards and bathrooms safe. 

• Dump all water buckets and empty kiddie pools when they are not in use.
• Install multiple barriers in areas leading to pools and spas: pool fences, self-closing, self-latching gates and door alarms.
• Keep pool area picked up and clear of toys and other items which might attract an unsupervised child.
• Never leave children unattended in the bathtub. Keep a towel and bath supplies close at hand, so you do not have to leave during bath time.
• Install safety latches on toilets

3. Wear lifejackets. 

• The single most important thing when it comes to open water safety is a life vest. Especially in murky water with a current, it can be the difference between life and death. If the lifejacket doesn’t say “ U.S. Coast Guard-Approved” or “USCG approved,” you can assume it’s not safe. Always check the label.
• As your child grows, the lifejacket needs to meet their new weight. Get a new lifejacket if there are rips and tears or if the straps are fraying.
• Do not rely on floats or other toys to keep children safe.

4. Sign up for CPR and swim lessons. 

• Studies show that formal swim lessons for children under age 4 reduce drowning by 88 percent.
• Take swim lessons with your child if you don’t know how to swim yourself. Even adults who are strong swimmers should never swim alone.
• Need help finding swim lessons? Check out this list of providers in the Tarrant County Area. If you’re not in Tarrant County, you may want to contact your local YMCA, Red Cross, or parks and recreation center for information in your area.
• Learning CPR can be the difference between life and death while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. Check your local Red Cross and YMCA for CPR classes.

5. Have a safety plan in place. 

• If an emergency does happen, remember that seconds count. Call 911 immediately and then begin CPR while EMS is in route.
• Know water conditions before you get into open water. Water conditions in lakes and oceans can vary on a daily basis.

Related Stories

• Lifeguard Your Child: Prevent Bathtub Drownings 
• Lifeguard Your Child: Don’t Take a Vacation From Water Safety
• What Color Is Your Child's Swimsuit? Experts Say Choose Safety Over Fashion 
• In the Words of a Grieving Mother: Teenagers & Open Water Drowning 
• What's a Water Watcher Tag? How One Item in Every Household Can Help Prevent Drownings
• Checklist: Keeping Your Pool Safe for All Swimmers 
• Keeping Kids Afloat: Infant Swimming Resource Self-Rescue 
• Swim Lessons Save Lives: Answering Top Questions With a Professional Swim Instructor
• Try on for Size: Tips for Best Fit, Safe Practices for Wearing Life Jackets

“While we are ecstatic that children are finding ways to get exercise and enjoy being outside, we want to remind parents to make sure that kids are protected while having fun,” said Kara Starnes, D.O., medical director of Urgent Care at Cook Children's.

Helmets are a Must for Fun on Wheels

ATV and dirt bike crashes are a common occurrence during summer. Over Memorial Day Weekend, the emergency department in Fort Worth saw 10 injuries related to motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs and skating.

Always ensure your child wears a properly fitted helmet to avoid head injuries. Adult supervision is essential when a child is riding any motorized vehicle, and children should never ride on ATVs or dirt bikes designed for adults.

“Please supervise your children on motorized vehicles,” Taylor Louden, M.D., medical director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth said. “They should always be wearing their seat belt and appropriate safety gear. The start of summer is a great time to check your kids’ safety gear and make sure helmets fit appropriately and are in good condition.”

A helmet that fits correctly will feel snug but not uncomfortable. 

A few other key points:

• Helmets that passed federal safety standards in testing will say “U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission certified” on the label.
• Helmets should be worn in a level position just above the eyebrows.
• If the helmet rocks backward and forward or side to side, adjust the straps. No more than two fingers should fit under the buckled chin strap.    
• Never ride without a helmet.

Water Safety: A Constant Vigilance

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4, and the second leading cause for kids 1-14 in Texas. Drownings can happen silently and quickly. A submerged person might not attract attention or appear to be in danger. These tragedies highlight the importance of constant supervision around water.

Sharon Evans, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Cook Children's, emphasizes, "There's no off-season for drownings. A moment of inattention can be devastating."

Unplanned swim time is a major culprit, with roughly 70% of drownings at Cook Children's occurring when parents weren't expecting their child to be near water.

Layers of Protection: Keeping Curious Toddlers Safe

Multiple safety measures, known as "layers of protection," can significantly reduce drowning risks. Fencing around pools with self-latching gates, preferably 5-feet high, is crucial. Door and window alarms can alert you if a child exits the house unsupervised. Remember, young children are naturally curious, so removing pool toys and floats when not in use minimizes temptation. For above-ground pools, make sure to remove the ladder when the pool is unsupervised. Consider using a pool surface alarm for added security.

Cook Children's has developed the "Lifeguard Your Child" campaign to raise awareness about childhood injury prevention. Through this initiative, you can find resources like free swim lessons, safety videos, and loaner life jacket stations at lakes across North Texas. Visit lifeguardyourchild.org for more information.

Sun Safety: Protecting Young Skin

Sunburns are not just uncomfortable; they can increase a child's risk of skin cancer later in life. Zinc oxide-based sunscreen is best whenever your child is outdoors. Covering skin with SPF is another way to protect your child’s skin. Apply sunscreen generously 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every two hours, or more often after swimming or sweating. Protective clothing, hats with wide brims, and sunglasses that block UV rays offer additional defense.

Hydration: Keeping Cool and Healthy

Dehydration can lead to nausea, dizziness, headache, or even heat stroke. Encourage frequent sips of water throughout the day, even if your child doesn't feel thirsty. Avoid sugary drinks that can worsen dehydration.

Your child’s urine colors can range from clear to dark yellow to orange, depending on how hydrated they are. To tell if your child is dehydrated, read this article from Celina D. Cepeda, M.D., a nephrologist at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper.

Fishing Fun Without the Hooks

Fishing is a popular summer activity, but fish hooks can pose a safety risk. Teach children to handle hooks with care and supervise them closely while fishing. Consider using barbless hooks to minimize injury if a hook snags on skin.

RELATED:

• A Cautionary Tale: The Misadventures of Summer & Top Injuries Seen at Cook Children’s
• Should My Child Ride ATVs? Cook Children's Experts Weigh In 
• Sunburn Relief at Home, When to See a Pediatrician 
• Pediatrician Shares Top Beach Vacation Health Tips 
• Heads Up: Helmet Tips for Safer Bicycling 
• Teen Driver? What to Know Before They Go This Summer 

As families and friends come together to celebrate Independence Day, it's important to keep safety in mind. According to experts at Cook Children's, drowning is the primary threat to children during this holiday. Drowning patients are commonly seen in the emergency room and these incidents can often have severe outcomes.

To ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend, consider the following safety tips:

• Always supervise children when they are in or near water, even if they know how to swim.
• Designate a Water Watcher, an adult who will watch all children while they are in or around water with no distractions.
• Keep pool areas fenced and locked when not in use and remove all pool toys/floats. One to 4-year-olds are at the most risk to drown in a pool.

DROWNING PREVENTION

From June 1 to June 23, 2023, there were 10 drownings treated at Cook Children’s, two of which were fatal. Most of these patients have been in the 5 years old and under age group.

Since Jan. 1, 2023, there have been 25 drownings at Cook Children’s, three of which were fatal. Most drownings in 2023 have occurred in a swimming pool or hot tub.

While most patients survived these incidents, drowning injuries can result in severe effects, especially on a child’s brain development.

Drownings can happen silently and quickly. A submerged person might not attract attention or appear to be in danger

Drownings can occur even with many adults present. When there are children around water, always designate a Water Watcher, an adult who is in charge of watching all children without any distractions. The Water Watcher should not use a cell phone, socialize, drink alcohol or do anything else that might be a distraction.

Parents can put barriers in place to help prevent a child from accessing the water or make it more difficult to access when an adult is not present. Barriers – such as locks, alarms and fencing – can help keep unsupervised young children from getting into swimming pools.

Go here for more information on Water Watcher tags. Lifeguardyourchild.org shares many resources and tips for drowning prevention.

HEAT SAFETY

In very hot weather, high humidity, and other conditions, heat in the body can build to dangerous levels. This can cause heat illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke.

With highs in the upper 90s, be sure to keep these heat safety tips in mind. 

Wear appropriate clothing: Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothes. Wear a hat to shield yourself from the sun, until you feel yourself getting warm. Then remove any items covering your head that can trap heat close to the body.

Schedule outdoor activities carefully: Heatstroke can occur in less than an hour when you are participating in a strenuous activity on a hot day. Try to limit outdoor activity to when it’s coolest, like morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas so your child’s body has a chance to recover.

Hydrate: Drink plenty of water during the day, especially if you are engaged in any strenuous activity. Be sure to drink water or a sports drink before, during and after any strenuous activity.

Wear sunscreen: If you go outside, use sunscreen, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and put on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes before going outside. Continue to reapply according to the package directions.

FIREWORKS

Fireworks can cause severe injuries that are both harmful and painful to children. Children should never handle fireworks. Even seemingly harmless sparklers can heat up to more than 1,200 degrees, making them dangerous for young children. 

Some people light sparklers at home or even set off their own fireworks, but this is dangerous. Some of the people hurt each year aren't the ones setting off the fireworks, but people who are nearby.

The safest way to enjoy fireworks is at a professional display.

If setting off fireworks at home, adults should only set them off in a designated “kid-free” zone. Adults should not hold fireworks in their hands or keep any part of their body over them while lighting. Wear eye protection, and don't carry fireworks in your pocket — the friction could set them off.

Point fireworks away from homes, and keep away from brush and leaves and flammable substances. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that local fire departments respond to more 50,000 fires caused by fireworks each year.

It’s also important to keep children away from bonfires and grills to help prevent any accidental burns.

ATV SAFETY

Though often thrilling for children, off-road motorized vehicles — including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), ATV mules, go-karts, and even golf carts — can be extremely dangerous for them to ride, especially if they don’t use safety measures once they get on board. Cook Children's sees many patients with injuries from ATV accidents every year.

To prevent such injuries among children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children under 16 should not drive or ride as passengers in two- and four-wheeled off-road vehicles.

ATV Safety:

• Always wear protective gear such as:
• Helmet
• Eye Protection
• Boots, gloves, long pants, jacket
• Do not ride an ATV at night
• Take an ATV safety course
• Never ride on public roads
• Perform ATV safety checks

RELATED

A Cautionary Tale: The Misadventures of Summer & Top Injuries Seen at Cook Children's (checkupnewsroom.com)

Should My Child Ride ATVs? Cook Children's Experts Weigh In (checkupnewsroom.com)

A Pediatrician's Advice for a Safe and Fun Fourth of July (checkupnewsroom.com)

The Center for Community Health will be at these upcoming free safety and community events:

Additional information from organizers:

Run4Elise

The Run4Elise is a 5K and 1 Mile fun run that benefits the Swim4Elise Foundation and the Elise Cerami Memorial Scholarship. This family-friendly community event honors the life of Elise Cerami by promoting water safety through swimming scholarships and community outreach education. Go here for more information.

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for Lifeguard Your Child. 

Pop Up Safety Center/Diaper Hub

The Center for Community Health will share information and resources for Lifeguard Your Child, Safe Baby Sleep, Aim for Safety and many other campaigns from the Center for Children's Health and Cook Children's. 

Super Safety Saturday- Burleson

Bring the entire family to Super Safety Saturday. The Burleson Fire Department is partnering with Texas Health Burleson for a family-friendly safety event that will include pool & sun safety education, home safety, bike safety and fire safety. There will also be free bounce houses, fire truck, ambulance and much more. Go here for more information.

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for Safe Baby Sleep and Aim for Safety campaigns.

Argyle Child Safety Fair

It's almost that time again. The 3rd Annual Child Safety Fair is just around the corner on June 10th and it will be bigger and better (though still FREE) than before. There will be a water slide, a rock climbing wall, a water gun arena, a dunk tank, free snow cones, and so much more. And if you're an expectant mother or are looking to ensure that your car seat is installed correctly, we will have a car seat fitting event prior to the Child Safety Fair. Mark your calendar now! There will also be free drug lock boxes, free gun safes, free booster seats, and free bike helmets. Go here for more information. 

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for Lifeguard Your Child, Safe Baby Sleep, Aim for Safety and many other campaigns from the Center for Children's Health and Cook Children's.

Defenderpalooza 2023

We’re excited to host our 2nd Annual Defenderpalooza event and making this event even bigger and better! Go here for more information.

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for our Aim for Safety campaign.

Cook Children’s has treated nine drownings so far this year, one of which was fatal. As the weather warms up, parents and caregivers should take time to review how to keep their young children safe around water.

With the recent news of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player’s 2-year-old daughter drowning in their swimming pool, we are reminded of how quickly water can turn into a tragic accident. It only takes a minute for a child to drown, and most of the time it is silent.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old. Even if a child survives a drowning, it's possible to have lasting neurological effects. Cook Children’s leads a campaign called Lifeguard Your Child for parents and caregivers to learn how to protect children in all kinds of water.

Drownings can occur even with many adults present. One key tip is to designate a “water watcher” – a responsible adult who agrees to watch the children in the water without distractions.

Sharon Evans, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s, said it is vital for parents and homeowners to realize they must be on guard at all times if they have a pool.

“All of the barriers along with swimming lessons can prevent drownings,” Sharon said. “Not only having these barriers in place but ensuring the alarms work and are on and the gates remain closed is important as well.”

Drownings can happen silently and quickly. A submerged person might not attract attention or appear to be in danger. Younger children most often drown in swimming pools by falling in while unsupervised. Parents can put barriers in place to help prevent a child from accessing the water or make it more difficult to access when an adult is not present.

Top Pool Barriers
The more barriers in place, the safer the child will be.

• Four-sided isolation fences with self-latching gates
• Alarms (pool, door, gate)
• Automatic pool covers
• Doorknob covers and high locks on doors leading to the outdoors
• Reroute dog/pet doors that have direct access to the pool area

Lifeguard Your Child

Cook Children’s initiated a drowning prevention campaign called Lifeguard Your Child in 2015 in response to a high number of drowning injuries treated in the Emergency Department and medical center that year. The Lifeguard Your Child campaign is spread through the Safe Kids North Texas Coalition, which is based in Fort Worth and led by Cook Children’s.

The campaign’s strategies include Cook Children’s Loaner Life Jacket Stations at many lake entry points across the region. Families can go to the stations to find U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets in a variety of sizes with easy tips for a proper fit.

Safety tips for home swimming pools: 
• Restrict access by installing door locks high out of children’s reach. Door and window alarms can signal if someone leaves the house. 
• Install four-sided fencing around pools with a self-latching gate that only opens out. The fence should be at least 4 feet (preferably 5 feet) high. 
• Remove all toys and floats from the pool area so children are not tempted to get close to the water. 
• For above-ground pools, make sure the ladder is removed and not accessible when it’s not swimming time. 
• Consider a pool surface alarm to alert if anyone/anything falls into the water. 

Safety tips for the bathtub: 
• An adult must stay at the side of the tub in reach of the child. 
• Pay attention. This is not the time for multitasking. 
• Ignore distractions like the doorbell or phone calls. 
• Drain the tub after each use. 
For more information about drowning prevention, go to www.lifeguardyourchild.org.

From May to August, there were 47 drownings treated at Cook Children’s Health Care System, two of which were fatal, marking a decrease compared to the same timeframe in 2021.

While most patients survived these incidents, drowning injuries can result in severe effects. Drownings can happen silently and quickly. A submerged person might not attract attention or appear to be in danger.

Drownings can occur even with many adults present. When there are children around water, always designate a Water Watcher, an adult who is in charge of watching all children without any distractions.

May – August 2022:

• Total drownings: 47
• Fatalities: 2

May – August 2021:

• Total drownings: 67
• Fatalities: 7

May – August 2020:

• Total drownings: 27
• Fatalities: 1

May – August 2019:

• Total drownings: 54
• Fatalities: 3

May – August 2018:

• Total drownings: 68
• Fatalities: 10

Parents can put barriers in place to help prevent a child from accessing the water or make it more difficult to access when an adult is not present. Barriers – such as locks, alarms and fencing – can help keep unsupervised young children from getting into swimming pools.

Water safety is important at any age. When it comes to drowning, seconds count. It is silent and can happen in an instant. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4, and the second leading cause for kids 1-14 in Texas. But with your help, we can change that.

RELATED: Water Watcher Tag: 1 Item Can Help Prevent Drownings (checkupnewsroom.com)

Checklist: Keeping Your Pool Safe for All Swimmers (checkupnewsroom.com)

Nine of those drownings in the stretch from January through middle March occurred in swimming pools. Three occurred in bathtubs. The children ranged in age from infancy through 9 years. 

Sharon Evans, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s, pointed out that drownings typically peak between Memorial Day and Labor Day but can occur any time of year. 

“If you have water, there's not an off-season,” she said. “A lot of these seem to happen on the weekends when the weather's nice and people go outside working in the yard. The child falls in the pool or somehow gains access.”

Data from Cook Children’s show two or fewer drownings in January-February each year from 2018 to 2021. The trend this year is unusual and concerning to Evans, who urges parents and caretakers to take precautions and stay vigilant to guard against accidental drowning injuries.

Last year, more than 60% of drownings treated at Cook Children’s occurred during unplanned swim time. This is when parents didn’t expect their child to be in or around the water. Parents can put barriers in place to help prevent a child from accessing the water or make it more difficult to access when an adult is not present.

Those barriers – such as locks, alarms and fencing – can help keep unsupervised young children from getting into swimming pools.

“We always talk about those layers of protection. They're not guaranteed to prevent a drowning, but they do slow the child down as far as gaining access,” Evans said. “Toddlers are just curious. They're going to explore and see what they can figure out. As parents, we have to make sure they are safe.”

Sometimes the child who drowns in a backyard pool was playing outdoors with older siblings. Other times, the parent doesn’t realize the child left the house through an unlocked door or doggie door. Ice chests, mop buckets and horse troughs can also present hazards if they hold more than an inch of water, Evans said.

One rule prevails when it comes to bathtubs: Never leave the child alone … not to answer the doorbell, not to pick up the phone, not even for a second.

“I often say with injury prevention across the board, there is no do-over,” Evans said. “Just be alert.”

Cook Children’s initiated a drowning prevention campaign called Lifeguard Your Child in 2015 in response to a high number of drowning injuries treated in the Emergency Department and medical center that year. The Lifeguard Your Child campaign is spread through the Safe Kids North Texas Coalition, which is based in Fort Worth and led by Cook Children’s.

Dana Walraven, manager of community health outreach for the Center for Children’s Health, led by Cook Children’s, said partners across 11 counties share education, access to swim lessons, safety videos, resources and social media with a consistent theme: Lifeguard Your Child.

“Knowing social media messages alone have reached millions, the messages and awareness are making a difference for a safer community,” Walraven said.

The campaign’s strategies include Cook Children’s Loaner Life Jacket Stations at many lake entry points across the region. Families can go to the stations to find U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets in a variety of sizes with easy tips for a proper fit.

Safety tips for home swimming pools: 
• Restrict access by installing door locks high out of children’s reach. Door and window alarms can signal if someone leaves the house. 
• Install four-sided fencing around pools with a self-latching gate that only opens out. The fence should be at least 4 feet (preferably 5 feet) high. 
• Remove all toys and floats from the pool area so children are not tempted to get close to the water. 
• For above-ground pools, make sure the ladder is removed and not accessible when it’s not swim time. 
• Consider a pool surface alarm to alert if anyone/anything falls into the water. 

Safety tips for the bathtub: 
• An adult must stay at the side of the tub in reach of the child. 
• Pay attention. This is not the time for multitasking. 
• Ignore distractions like the doorbell or phone calls. 
• Drain the tub after each use. 
For more information about drowning prevention, go to www.lifeguardyourchild.org. 

The Center for Children’s Health (C4CH), led by Cook Children’s, installed its first loaner life jacket station in the spring of 2020. The stations provide five different sizes of U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets, ranging from infant to adult, that can be borrowed and returned. The goal is to make sure no child or adult drowns at a public lake because they didn’t have access to a life jacket.

“Texas has a lot of lakes and having a loaner station at entry points is a great reminder for families,” said Amy Johnson, program coordinator for the Center for Children’s Health. “The signage on the station not only explains how it works but also how to properly fit a life jacket.”

Sadly, the number of drowning patients seen at Cook Children’s this month has already surpassed the number of patients seen in the same time period of 2020. So far, 35 children have been admitted to Cook Children’s for drowning, with two deaths. Three of the drownings occurred at area lakes.

The loaner life jacket program has 12 stations at lakes across DFW, including:

• Cleburne
• Alvarado
• Flower Mound
• Grapevine
• Weatherford
• Lewisville

The stations are constructed by Lifeguard Your Child partner and Texas-based construction firm, Linbeck. C4CH plans to extend the stations to pools in neighborhoods and communities soon.

Cleburne resident Robin Kiel has lived across the street from Lake Pat Cleburne for more than 30 years. As a former pediatric intensive care (PICU) nurse, she has seen her fair share of drownings and fatalities.

Recently, the two new loaner life jacket stations at the lake caught her attention.

“I saw something out of the corner of my eye one day and went to check it out,” Kiel said. “Once I realized it was a loaner life jacket station from Cook Children’s, all I could think about was how many lives could be saved.”

Kiel and her family have seen several tragedies while living directly across from the lake. She recalls instances over the years when helicopters have landed in her yard to transport a child to the emergency room, or emergency personnel rushing past her house to save someone’s life. Kiel says these moments are hard to watch, but what’s even worse is watching the number of children who enter the lake without a life jacket.

“During my time as a nurse, I’ve seen tragedy after tragedy,” Robin explained. “The hardest part was the water fatalities that could have been avoided. There's a lot of children that swim without life jackets and it's dangerous in a lake. You can't see the bottom if they were to fall or get swept away. You can't find them once they're under the water.”

Kiel says with school out and summer in full swing, she expects to see thousands of people at the lake on the weekends and she is hopeful people will take advantage of the loaner life jacket stations.

“I think it's just really important to remind people that if you don't have a Coast Guard approved life jacket, there are some that are loaned here in two different places on our lake and they can just borrow them and put them back when they're finished for someone else.”

Tara Janszen is Kiel’s daughter and the president of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce. She says she’s also thankful for the additional safety measure at the lake.

“The collaboration between Cook Children’s, Cleburne Fire Department, and the Cleburne Parks and Recreation department is something that will benefit our residents and visitors who come to Lake Pat Cleburne,” Janszen said.

Lake Pat Cleburne is also home to holiday celebrations, and more. Tara says the city is happy to have their Independence Day celebration back at the lake this year, and she is hopeful having the life jackets will be an added safety measure for families.

“We have thousands of people that come out to enjoy the lake for the day. We shoot fireworks off the dam that evening,” Janszen said. “We want people to have fun, but first and foremost, we want people to be safe. I think this new opportunity for kids to be able to loan or borrow a life jacket, and for families to utilize this program is going to make our event just even better this year.”

Johnson shares the same feelings. She wants people to get out and have a good time, without any tragedies. Thus far, the stations have been well-received at all six lakes.

“Our community partners and families are excited about having the stations and how easy they are to manage,” Johnson explained. “The feedback from lake-goers has been amazing, and they are using the life jackets, which is the goal.”

Kiel says she enjoys walking out of her front door and seeing neighbors and visitors enjoying the lake, and she is hopeful this summer will conclude with every family making it back home safely.

“I think the life jackets can help save lives,” Kiel said. “Drowning happens so quickly, and it’s such a tragedy for families. I think it could save a lot of children's lives and I believe that’s the goal for Cook Children’s and the City of Cleburne.”

Johnson understands families are excited to get together for the summer, but safety has to be the top priority for everyone to have a good time.

“We know everyone is eager to enjoy the summer, but along with that we know there are a lot of potential distractions,” Kiel expressed. “We want families to remember to have an emergency plan in place, always designate a pool and lake ‘water watcher’ for safety, and to remember to keep a child’s life jacket on until they are safely away from the water’s edge.”

Important to note:

If you live in a community with a lake or pool that could benefit from a loner life jacket station, send an email to Safe.kids@cookchildrens.org. To learn more about the loaner life jacket program and other safety measures, visit lifeguardyourchild.com

Smith, a Dallas native, wrote about the unthinkable news on his Twitter and Instagram account. It was later confirmed by the singer’s representatives that his son had died due to a drowning accident at home.

“Amber and I made the decision to say our last goodbyes and donate his organs so that other children will be given a second chance at life,” Smith wrote.

The news came on the same day that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission released their report that shows:

• A 10% increase in fatal child drownings over the past two years.
• Almost three-fourths of the drownings (74%) involved children younger than 5.
• An average of 363 pool-or-spa related fatal child drownings were reported per year for 2014 through 2016, involving children younger than 15. The highest number of drownings occured in 2016 with 389 reported fatalities.
• On average, an estimated, 6,600 pool-or-spa related, non-fatal drowning injuries were treated at a hospital emergency department treated each year for 2016 through 2018.

The data identified June as the month with the highest fatality incident rate and that residential locations made up most (72%) of reported fatal drowning incidents. In June 2018 at Cook Children’s, 16 children were treated for drownings, with three being fatal.

"Our data shows us who is drowning and when and where these fatal drownings are happening – children, in the summer, at residential locations," said Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle. "This report underscores the need for all families to stay vigilant and practice water safety anytime they are in or around the water."

None of the statistics surprised Corwin Warmink, M.D., medical director of Emergency Services at Cook Children's.

“This is not anything new. We live in Texas and we see this all the time. There are lots of pools and lakes here. It’s just water and children don’t mix without adult supervision and children wearing their lifejackets all times around the water,” Dr. Warmink said. “For us in the Emergency Department, it’s just sad because this is something that’s totally preventable.”

The safety commission’s recommendations to keep children safer in and around the water mirror the suggestions from Cook Children’s experts, including:

• Install a four-sided fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate around all pools and spas.
• Designate a Water Watcher to supervise children at all times around the water. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smart phone or be otherwise distracted. Water Watcher tags are available at Cook Children' to any person or group who will use them or would like to distribute them. To receive a Water Watcher Tag, email safe.kids@cookchildrens.org. 
• Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
• Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults.
• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.
• Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards and if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safe drain covers.

Last week, Cook Children’s medical staff treated four children for drowning-related accidents with ages ranging from 18 months to 6 years old. The near drownings took place at a variety of locations, including a recreation center, a community center, a home pool and a bathtub.

For the month, seven kids, ranging from 6 weeks to 6 years, were seen for drowning at the medical center. Two children died after drowning in bathtubs.

“The events of this month is a tragic reminder that we don’t have a drowning season in Texas,” said Ben Olsson, M.D., a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit physician at Cook Children’s. “Drownings don’t just take place in the summer at a pool or a lake. The most important thing for parents to remember is that when you are somewhere near water, you can’t take your eyes off your child. That’s the common theme, regardless if it’s a pool, lake or bathtub. Children need adult supervision. We say it all the time at Cook Children’s, lifeguard your child. Don’t take your eyes off of your child when they are around or in the water.”

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4, and the second leading cause of death for kids 1-14 in Texas.

Cook Children’s experts recommend the following tips to protect kids from drowning:

1. Wear life vests with U.S. Coast Guard-approved labels. If your child’s lifejacket doesn’t say “US Coast Guard Approved” or “USCG Approved,” you can assume it’s not safe. Always check the label. Any items filled with air (arm floaties, rafts, etc.) are considered toys and not a life-saving device. And as your child grows, the lifejacket needs to meet their new weight. Get a new lifejacket if there are rips and tears or fraying of the straps.

2. Take family CPR lessons. Learning CPR can be the difference between life and death while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. Check your local Red Cross and YMCA for classes.

3. Insist on adult, non-distracted Water Watchers. Children drown silently, so designate a Water Watcher to watch children in and around all water. A Water Watcher Tag is used to designate responsible adults to watch the water when you have a party at the pool, lake or beach. At social gatherings, 10-15 minute shifts are recommended for Water Watchers. During that time, Water Watchers should not be distracted by conversations, cell phones, reading, etc. Always check the pool first for missing kids. Send an email to safe.kids@cookchildrens.org to request your Water Watcher tags.

4. Invest in swim lessons. Drownings and near drownings are eight times more likely to happen to children who don’t know how to swim or are being supervised by adults who don’t know how to swim. Check out this list of swim lesson providers in the Tarrant County area. If you are not in Tarrant County, contact your local YMCA, Red Cross or parks and recreation center for information in your area.

5. Update pool drains and cleaning systems. Children should stay away from pool drains and other cleaning equipment as they have powerful suction that can pull them down to the bottom of the pool. Swimsuit straps, hair and other items can easily get caught. There are certain safety drain covers that can prevent this from happening.

Click here to learn more ways to lifeguard your child.

First, a 3-year-old child from Decatur, Texas died in early March after being left alone in the bath. According to CBS11, the mother said she was gone “for just a few minutes.”

Then, on Monday, a 6-week-old baby drowned in Fort Worth. NBC 5 reports the child's mother fell asleep in the tub with him.

In the midst of these two tragedies, Cook Children’s is launching the 'Lifeguard Your Child' bathtub drowning prevention campaign. The campaign's urgent message to parents: “Don’t ever take your eyes off of your child in a bathtub.”

“When talking to parents about bathtub safety, I like to stress ‘touch supervision’ in infants and young children.” said Corwin Warmink, medical director of Emergency Services at Cook Children’s. “This means you are close enough to reach your child at all times versus just watching them from a distance."

In 2018, 13 children were admitted to Cook Children's Medical Center for drowning in bathtubs. One of those children died.

While the ideal age for a child to bathe alone is up for discussion, Dr. Warmink says the general rule of thumb is around school age. “But it really depends on the child and his or her maturity level,” he adds.

Dana Walraven, manager of Community Health Outreach at Cook Children's, reminds parents there is never a safe amount of time to leave your child in the bath. She says if a doorbell rings or you need to leave the bath for even a brief moment, get the child out of the bathtub while you are gone.

“A child can drown in the time it takes to answer the phone,” Walraven said. “We ask parents for constant supervision of their child while in the water. You literally can't take your eyes off of a child while in the bathtub, even for a second. Bath time is a great time to bond with your baby, but it can be a dangerous time in and around water without proper adult supervision."

Summer is nearly here! Let's quickly hit some of the most common questions I get around this time of year - about sunscreen, DEET, and life jackets.

1. Sunscreen:

Use it! Even on a cloudy, not-very-hot day! 80% of the sun's rays penetrate clouds! And bounce off sand and snow!

Start using it at age 6 months. Prior to 6 months, do not have your baby in direct sunlight - put them under heavy shade and put a hat on them. If you can't find shade, use sunscreen on small amounts of their skin and try to cover skin with clothing.

Go with SPF 30-50 for your kids. I don't care about brand.

Zinc oxide (the stuff that won't disappear when you rub it in) is the best. It physically blocks the harmful rays. Great for nose, ears, cheeks, tops of shoulders.

Put it on 15-30 min BEFORE YOU GO OUT.

Reapply every 2 HOURS.

PUT ON MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU NEED. 1 teaspoon per limb is about right. 1 tsp for back, 1 tsp for chest. 1/2 tsp for face.

I don't like the sprays. They miss spots and can be inhaled. If you have to use them, spray a ton on your hands and rub it it in good.

More good info about sunscreen here: https://www.checkupnewsroom.com/5-tips-to-protect-your-chi…/

2. DEET:

DON'T BE SCARED OF IT. It is not "DDT"! It is safe down to age 2 months. It is the BEST way to prevent insect bites and this has been proven time and again in medical studies.

Read a ton about this in another article I wrote here:

https://www.checkupnewsroom.com/the-deets-on-deet/

If you absolutely don't want to use DEET, go with Picaridin.

Those wrist bands ain't gonna do anything.

3. Life jackets!

Use only life jackets that are approved by the US Coast Guard.

Here are the types (compliments of the AAP Healthy Children website):

TYPE 1: This jacket floats the best. It is designed to turn most people who are unconscious in the water from the face-down position to an upright and slightly backward position. This jacket helps the person to stay in that position for a long time. It is to be used in open water and oceans. It is available in only 2 sizes: 1 size for adults more than 90 pounds and 1 size for children less than 90 pounds. (Type 1 is the most bulky but has the greatest ability to turn a child "face-up".)

TYPE 2: This jacket can turn a person upright and slightly backward but not as much as the Type 1 jacket. It may not always help an unconscious person to float face up. It is comfortable and comes in many sizes for children. (More comfy but will only turn SOME children "face-up".)

TYPE 3: This jacket is designed for conscious users in calm, inland water. It is very comfortable and comes in many styles. This life jacket is often used for water sports and should be used only when it is expected that the rescue can be done quickly. (Least bulky, most comfortable. Good support for children who have some swimming skills.)

This summer, I will be using Type 1 lifejackets for my kids when we go to the ocean or are at the lake. I will be using Type 2 when we are in the wading pool. My kids are 2 and 4 and I will be within a few feet of them at all times when they are in/around water.

WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES WHEN THEY ARE IN OR AROUND WATER. DROWNING IS SILENT.

Let me say that again: DROWNING IS SILENT.

Cook Children's has a great drowning prevention resource page. Click here to learn more.

Hope this helps answer your burning hot summer questions!

Hugs,

Dr. Diane Arnaout

The ages of the children ranged from 1 year to 9 years old. The drownings all occurred in pools.

“Unfortunately, we had a busy weekend with drownings and we aren’t even at Memorial Day,” said Sharon Evans, Trauma Injury Prevention Outreach coordinator at Cook Children’s.

Last year, eight kids were seen at Cook Children’s for drowning during the entire month of May and none were fatal.

As we head into the summer, Cook Children’s is once again asking parents to “Lifeguard Your Child.”

The focus is on parents never taking their eyes off their children while they are swimming, and that includes until they are safely in the house or car.

“We’ve seen many cases where children removed their life vests and jumped back in the water,” said Magdalena Santillan, Trauma Injury Prevention specialist at Cook Children’s. “Often, parents are getting ready to leave the pool and don’t realize their kids have jumped back in.”

Evans warns parents against letting their guard down once the child leaves the pool or lake. That moment when a parent relaxes can place the child at risk. 

“It’s important for kids to wear a Coast Guard approved life vest and for parents to be in arm’s reach of their child,” Evans said. “The mistakes that people make is taking the life vest off once they are out of the water. I tell parents to keep the life vest on until they are actually putting their child in the car or they are in their home with the door shut and locked.”

Evans said if children go to the bathroom, a parent should go with them and hold the life vest. Once they have washed their hands, place the life vest back on before they leave the bathroom and head back to the water.

Corwin Warmink, M.D., medical director of Emergency Services at Cook Children’s, calls drowning a “preventable tragedy.” In nearly nine out of 10 child drowning–related deaths, the parent or caregiver said the child had been with them in the house or pool within five minutes of the accident.

“Children should never be in water without adults watching them,” said Corwin Warmink, M.D., medical director of Emergency Services at Cook Children’s. “If you have a toddler, that child shouldn't be in water without what we call touch supervision. You need to be in arm's length and it's not just pools. That includes bathtubs or any other container with water. I've seen kids drown in buckets. A child can drown in any water, even a few inches deep. Supervision isn't, 'Hey there’s six of us cooking hamburgers and text messaging.' It means there’s someone who has the designated job to watch the children in the water.”

The safety experts at Cook Children’s say kids can’t afford anything less than 100 percent adult supervision at the pool at all times. That means not taking your eyes off of a child while he or she is in the water.

For many of us, that starts with putting away perhaps the greatest competition for a grownup's attention - their phone.

“We understand the need for a phone at the pool, in case of emergencies, but those phones need to be put away until you leave the swimming area,” said Dana Walraven, Community Health Outreach manager at Cook Children’s and Safe Kids Tarrant County Coordinator. “Parents should only be spending time watching their kids and not on the phone.”

Drowning prevention around the pool begins with adult supervision, but there are other steps parents can take at home to help protect their children from drowning.

Learn More About Water Safety and Drowning Prevention, by clicking here.

February isn’t over and already four children have been treated for near-drowning accidents at Cook Children’s Emergency Department. All of these incidents occured in swimming pools.

“So often we think of the summer months as the time when we see drownings,” said Sharon Evans, Trauma Injury Prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s. “But as long as a child is around water, the threat is real for a child to drown. In Texas, we have 70 or 80 degree days during the winter and kids are outside playing around pools. If you have a pool, parents should be outside with their child. If not, the results can be tragic.”

The threat of drowning is a continuing concern well before summer begins. By the end of April 2016, 12 children were admitted for drowning injuries (9 in a pool) at Cook Children's, including two that were fatal (one pool death, one pond).

Even non-fatal, or near, drownings can be devastating for a child. Corwin Warmink, M.D., medical director of the Cook Children’s Emergency Department, says there’s a large amount of children who survive a drowning, but end up with catastrophic outcomes. The most effected parts of a near-drowning victim are the brain, lungs and kidneys. “The one that is most catastrophic and the one that will kill you is the brain,” Dr. Warmink said.

As a parent, Dr. Warmink stresses supervision of his own children in the pool. He calls it a hallmark of making sure children are safe. Half of all drownings occur within 25 feet of an adult.

“Children should never be in water without adults watching them,” he said. “If you have a toddler, that child shouldn't be in water without what we call touch supervision. You need to be in hand's length and it's not just pools. That includes bathtubs or any other container with water. I've seen kids drown in buckets. A child can drown in any water, even a few inches deep.”

The most important step a parent can make in making sure their child is safe around water is simply being present without distractions. Drowning is silent and quick, so a grownup should be watching children near water at all times and never leave, even for a brief moment.

“Active adult supervision and layers of protection such as door alarms and a fence can lower the risk for your child,” Dana Walraven, Community Outreach manager said. “The majority of these water-related incidents happen in the child’s own backyard pools and to children 4 years old and younger. Preventing pool drownings begins with adult supervision.”

Children are protected by layers of protection by using these safety techniques whenever children are around the pool:

• Always have adult supervision present when children are swimming or around pools.
• A fence with a locking gate should surround the pool.
• Install door alarms to alert adults when a child is entering the pool area.
• Require life jacket use for non-swimmers.
• Enroll children in swimming lessons.
• Parents and caregivers should undergo CPR training.

Other Resources:

• NRH Water Safety 365 Drowning Prevention Coalition
• Grownups be smart: Put down the phone at the pool
• 9 Ways to Protect Children From Drowning
• What Your Children Should Do If They See Someone Drowning
• Is Your Baby Ready For Swim Lessons?

Well, I was that parent too. And then one day everything changed in the blink of an eye. 

It takes a while to come to terms with the fact when “that would be so terrible” turns into “I can’t believe this happened to me.” Shock and disbelief take a long time to get over. 

On August 6th, 2012, we lost our 4-year old son Xander to drowning. The day our lives changed tragically forever, we were now that family. On a summer day playing with my three children and our friends in the pool, two short minutes changed everything.

The kids and I had met my friend and her three children for an afternoon at the community pool in her neighborhood. We all swam numerous times a week and were in the water all the time.

Immediately I was confused by the layout of this pool and the sight obstructions from many angles. I said to my friend, we would just have to watch them closely in this odd pool configuration. We began our day of swimming after a quick lunch. My two older girls could swim proficiently and we were still working on Xander jumping in and getting his face wet. He didn’t love water on his face but we were making strides. 

All day my son was attached at the hip to my girlfriend’s daughter, who was 3, they were inseparable; he was very smitten that day. Always a very loving boy, compassionate and wanted to take care of everyone.

After following Xander with his friend on his hip around the bend of the shallow lazy river, my middle daughter asked me to help her get watermelon out of the cooler, so I asked my girlfriend to watch the little ones. Her son called her a couple feet away and when she turned back around, the little ones had stepped too far where the slope starts to get deeper. 

I’m sure Xander panicked when the water touched his face and couldn’t turn around. When my friend turned around his face was under and he was holding his little friend up above the water, which pushed him down. It all happened in less than 2 minutes. 

They were pulled out immediately but he had slipped unconscious. We were amazed that there was a nurse at the pool that day with her children who began CPR right away. Unfortunately, it took too long to get a heartbeat, his tummy was full of lunch. Paramedics finally got a heartbeat after what proved to be too long. We were immediately flown by CareFlight to Cook Children’s in Ftort Worth, Texas where we could not have asked for better care. They did everything they possibly could and took amazing care of our son in his last days. 

In the grief and suffering and disbelief of losing our third-born child, baby and only boy, our hearts and minds have been so expanded by the knowledge and love of the amazing nurses and doctors at Cooks Children’s. The support system they have is amazing.  When they told us he would never wake we immediately agreed for our son to be an organ and tissue donor, we are proud that he went on to save so many lives. And we are grateful for the love and support we received from Cook Children’s and LifeGift donation care at an unimaginable time of our lives. 

Do not buy the misconception from the movies of drowning. There is no splashing or screaming. It is silent and it happens FAST. My mission as his mother now is to carry on what I’ve learned in his name and work for safety and knowledge for parents and children.

It can be a pool, bathtub, toilet, sink or even a pail of water. I am now a fierce advocate with Cook Children’s and the Fort Worth Drowning Prevention Coalition to spread the word of the importance of water safety. I will honor my son until the day I die and I hope I’m teaching my girls to do the same. Even two seconds is too long to turn your back on a child in the water.

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way but I hope our story helps even one family be more aware. I would give anything in this world to kiss and hug my baby boy again. I pray no one ever has to feel what we have.  Please be aware and cherish every single moment you have with your children.