STUDY FIRST TO SHOW WHERE CHILD DROWNING OCCURS

(CNN) - While the majority of accidental infant drownings occurred in bathtubs, nearly two-thirds of cases involving older children were in rivers, lakes and ponds, a new study shows.

Described as the first to examine nationally where drowning took place, the study also found that more than half of drowning incidents among toddlers occurred in swimming pools.

"Drowning is still a big problem in this country and these deaths are preventable," said Dr. Ruth A. Brenner, an investigator with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Researchers examined 1,420 death certificates from 1995, representing about 98 percent of all drowning deaths among children under age 20. The results were published in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics.

The study found 37 percent of those who drowned were between the ages of 1 an 4, and 29 percent were ages 15 to 19. Seventy-four percent of drowning victims were male.

Among infants, 78 percent of drownings occurred at home, primarily in bathtubs. Toddlers between age 1 and 4 were most likely to drown in artificial pools -- although fresh water sites such as ponds and lakes also claimed a high number of toddlers -- and children over 5 years old were most likely to drown in fresh water.

About 1,500 children under age 20 die each year from drowning in the United States.

as reported on CNN by Thurston Hatcher - July 2, 2001

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