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Drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4 — and drowning deaths on the whole are on the rise.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent Vital Signs study, drowning deaths increased by 28% among children ages 1-4 in 2022, compared to 2019, and adults ages 65 and older had the second highest rates of drowning — drowning increased by 19% in adults ages 65–74 in 2022 compared to 2019.

Drowning also increased 28% in 2021 among Black people compared to 2019.

“Over 4,500 people drowned each year in the United States from 2020–2022,” the study said. “This is about 500 more drowning deaths each year compared to 2019.”

Local medical providers have offered some tips for helping to keep children safe in the water.

Dr. Kate DeAntonis, a pediatric hospitalist at AHN Wexford’s inpatient pediatric program, says adults should always keep children who aren’t strong swimmers within arms’ reach. She also notes children may get themselves in deeper waters than they realize during a game, and they tend to overdo it while playing in the water and may tire themselves out without realizing it. 

“Even children who are strong swimmers need to have somebody watching,” DeAntonis says.

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Floatation devices are helpful, but they shouldn’t be fully relied upon for water safety, she notes.

According to information provided by the UPMC Mercy Trauma and Burn Center, in 9 out of 10 child-drowning deaths a parent or caregiver claimed to be watching the child. At-home pools should be separate from the yard via fences, and no one should be in the water alone, the center recommends.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most children are ready for swim lessons around age 4, but swim lessons can also have benefits for children ages 1-4.