Most accidents occur at child's home
of ConsumerAffairs
Portable backyard
swimming pools, the kind that are readily available at discount
stores, pose a very real drowning risk for young children,
according to a report published in the journal Pediatrics.
The study looked at the number of incidents involving children under 12 in portable pools. Using Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Data from 2001 through 2009, the researchers found that 209 children drowned in the pools, some of which are only about 12 inches deep.
In 94 percent of the accidents, the victims were five years old or younger.
“The use of portable pools in residential settings poses a significant risk of submersion-related morbidity and mortality to children, especially in the under 5-year-old age group,” the authors write.
Noting the accidents mostly took place at the child's home and often occurred in very shallow water, the study concludes that no single strategy will prevent all submersion deaths and injuries. It says there should be layers of protection.
Advice for industry
“Industry is advised to engage in development of protective devices that are effective and affordable for portable pools, including isolation fencing, pool alarms, and safety covers,” the report said. “A strong and pervasive consumer education campaign is needed to make consumers aware of the dangers of portable pools, because these small, inexpensive, consumer-installed pools may not generate the same sense of risk as an in-ground pool.”
The report is timely, since most drowning deaths and injuries occur during the summer months. Also, the authors note that the number of families using these portable, often inflatable pools, has grown in recent years.
The study notes that modern, in-ground pools come with a number of safety features, including pool covers, alarms, ladders and fencing. Portable pools, on the other hand, don't come with these features. Homeowners who purchase a portable pool, for example, are not likely to erect a fence around it, since the fence would be much more expensive than the pool itself.
For very young children, the authors said a portable pool may not be a good idea. Before purchasing one, they said parents should commit to strict supervision during their use. For very young children, they say a lawn sprinkler is a much more effective– and safer – way to keep toddlers cool during the summer.