Chicago Accident and Injury Lawyer Blog

Summer is almost officially here and the weather is warming up, which means that children of all ages will be asking their parents to take them to a pool or water park. Parents and children alike should be aware of the potential dangers posed by pools to ensure that children stay safe and everyone has a good time.

About 4,200 children suffer non-fatal submersions every year that require hospitalization. Some of these submersions result in permanent disability. Many of these submersions are caused by pool drains, which provide powerful suction to filter the water in the pool and are capable of causing injury or death to a child. Some children have suffered rectal prolapse or even small bowel evisceration after being sucked onto a pool drain. These injuries can result in short bowel syndrome and the need for long term parenteral nutrition. Other children, unfortunately, have died as a result of being held underwater by a pool drain. See the video of the ABC News investigative report on pool drains here.

As a parent of young children, I am aware that there is no fail-safe way to protect your child from danger. However, just adding an extra safety step in and around the water can make all the difference. Your greatest water safety assurance comes from adopting and practicing as many water safety measures as possible. Some examples of these safety measures include: (1) barriers that completely surround the pool with self-closing, self-latching gates; (2) staying close, being alert, and watching children at the pool; (3) learning and practicing water safety skills (knowing how to swim and perform CPR); and (4) having the appropriate equipment (compliant drain covers, alarms, barriers and sensors). Take it from me, you and your children can practice these safety tips and others, and still have a lot of fun this summer in the pool and at the water park.