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Updated
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Marie Lanen
Head of parenting section (baby, pregnancy, family)
in collaboration with
Andreas Werner (paediatrician)
Tuesday, December 13, a mother called the emergency services. Her 16-month-old daughter drowned in the family bathtub. Despite the resuscitation gestures, the little girl was declared dead on the spot. How to avoid this tragedy? Doctissimo recalls the good gestures to avoid accidental drownings.
Tuesday, December 13, around 6:30 p.m., a mother called the fire department because her 16-month-old daughter had just drowned in the family bathtub. If the rescuers immediately give the alert and arrive very quickly on the spot, after an hour and a half of resuscitation, the Smur doctor declared the girl dead. An investigation has been opened to better understand the circumstances of the tragedy that took place in Saint-Brandan in the Côtes-d’Armor.
Drownings: they do not only take place in swimming pools or at sea
According to the latest data from Public Health France (results of the 2021 DROWNING survey: prevention remains essential), from June 1 to September 30, 2021, there were 1,480 accidental drownings, 27% of which led to death. Among these accidental drownings, 4% took place in a bathtub. A figure which may seem derisory in the summer period, but which is not necessarily the subject of more research outside the summer vacation period. On the other hand, the results of the survey on everyday life accidents (period 2014-2018) show that in 2016, drownings in children aged 1 to 4 years old accounted for 36% of deaths. Drowning is therefore one of the accidents/causes of accidental death among minors under the age of 15.
Drowning prevention: what precautions in the bathtub?
A baby should always be bathed under adult supervision. Infants, up to approximately 6 months, can be bathed in a small tub specially designed for little ones. From 6 months, babies can be bathed in the family bathtub with suitable childcare items: bath recliner and bath rings when the baby sits up alone (between 6 and 9 months). When the child grows, we can abandon the accessories for a non-slip bath mat to prevent slipping. Even if the child is more independent, we do not leave him alone in his bath, even for a few minutes. Moreover, it is better to unplug your cell phone and enjoy an exclusive moment with your child to avoid distractions and careless errors: “bath time is simple, we don’t do anything else!” insists pediatrician Dr Andreas Werner. Indeed, a young child can drown with only 20 centimeters of water, without noise (call for help, movement, etc.) and in a few minutes: “once the child has inhaled water, he loses consciousness very quickly” specifies the pediatrician. Remember also that parents should not rely on the big brother or big sister to watch over the youngest. A child may misunderstand the signs of drowning and believe it is a game. Until about age 6, a child should not be left alone in a bathtub.