Local pediatrician talks about the importance of water safety
School is out for the summer and kids and parents are heading to the pool to beat the heat.
Brownsville resident Natasha Figueroa takes her grandkids to the pool. She says she never takes her eyes off her grandchildren and feels safe knowing there's an extra set of eyes watching too.
"I have four grandkids. It's hard to keep an eye on all four of them, and it's nice to have a lifeguard there," Figueroa said.
With four little ones to look after, Figueroa knows accidents can happen. Accidents that Valley Baptist Medical Center Chief of Pediatrics Dr. Asim Zamir is hoping parents can avoid during the summer.
Nearly 400 children under 15 die from drowning each year in the U.S. according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"Thank God so far we have not seen any incidents," Dr. Zamir said.
Experts say drownings can happen in an instant. If a child is brought for medical attention, Dr. Zamir knows time is of the essence.
"We evaluate them, and we check their oxygenation in their body, their mental status. The alert and consciousness," Dr. Zamir said.
To stay safe around water, assign a water watcher, avoid distractions like your cell phone and always swim with a buddy. Learning CPR can also be an important tool
"Initiating the CPR as early as possible, taking them out of the water as early as possible, is the key for their complete survival," Dr. Zamir said.
Swimming lessons are also key to staying safe in the water.
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