It is with the heaviest of hearts that the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) extends its deepest sympathies to the Barrett Family following the tragic loss of their two-year-old daughter Arrayah due to accidental drowning.
āThe loss of a child due to drowning is both profoundly heartbreaking and incomprehensible for parents and families,ā says Adam Katchmarchi, Ph.D., executive director, NDPA. āWe share their pain and remain steadfast in our mission to help save lives through water safety advocacy and education.ā While the CDC ranks drowning as the leading cause of death among children ages one to four, such cases are most often accidental and can be prevented. NDPAās prevention recommendations for parents and caregivers center around dispelling three common misperceptions:
Myth #1: If a child is in distress in the water, they will be heard, and there will be time to save them.
Fact: Drowning incidents happen quickly and are often silent.
Myth #2: Watching a child during swim-time ensures their safety.
Fact: The majority of child drowning incidents occur during non-swim times when a little one finds their way to a pool or open water undetected.
Myth #3: Teaching a child to swim and making sure there is an adult present are the best safeguards.
Fact: While water competency and adult supervision are always recommended, no one or two prevention strategies are sufficient. When it comes to water safety, more is better, which is why NDPA advocates the Five Layers of Protection ā barriers and alarms, water competency, supervision, life jackets, and emergency preparedness.
āIn addition to providing resources and information on water safety practices, NDPA also helps guide bereaved families to find support among parents with shared experiences through its affiliation with Families United to Prevent Drowning, a collective of more than 100 individual families and foundations whose participating members are working together to spark massive change in the fight to save lives by turning tragedy into advocacy," added Katchmarchi
About the National Drowning Prevention Alliance
The mission of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance is: āUnited, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning.ā Through education, awareness and advocacy, NDPA seeks to reduce the incidence of drowning and aquatic injuries in the United States and abroad and to address the single leading cause of death among children ages one to four. To learn more, visit the National Drowning Prevention Alliance website.
