Near-Drowning
Definition
Near-drowning is the term for survival after suffocation caused by submersion in water or another fluid. Some experts exclude from this definition cases of temporary survival that end in death within 24 hours, which they prefer to classify as drownings.
Description
An estimated 15, 000–70, 000 near-drownings occur in the United States each year (insufficient reporting prevents a better estimate). The typical victim is young and male. Nearly half of all drownings and near-drownings involve children less than four years old. Home swimming pools pose the greatest risk for children, being the site of 60–90% of drownings in the 0–4 age group. Teenage boys also face a heightened risk of drowning and near-drowning, largely because of their tendency to behave recklessly and use drugs and alcohol (drugs and alcohol are implicated in 40–50%...
[The entire page is 1573 words long]
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