As temperatures rise and the demand for pools and resorts increases during the summer vacation, drowning incidents recur, turning moments of joy and family gatherings into painful tragedies, amid medical confirmations that most of these incidents can be prevented through awareness and continuous supervision.

Dr. Wijdan Al-Shammari, pediatric emergency consultant at Imam Abdulrahman Al-Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, explained that drowning cases increase during the summer due to the abundance of water activities and family gatherings, noting that the most prominent cause behind the recurrence of these incidents is weak direct supervision of children.

The first five minutes after drowning are considered the golden period for rescuing the child and reducing complications.

She added that the presence of a responsible adult fully monitoring children inside the pool is the first line of defense for prevention, noting that the absence of safe barriers around pools or leaving their doors open gives children the opportunity to access the water without being noticed by their families.

Al-Shammari stressed that one of the most common misconceptions is the belief that a drowning child will scream or call for help, explaining that drowning often occurs silently, as the child loses the ability to call for help once water enters the mouth and airway, and signs may be limited to simple hand movements or head bobbing above the water surface for a few seconds.

She emphasized the importance of acting quickly when removing the child from the water, explaining that the first step is to get him out of the pool and place him on his right side, then check the level of consciousness, breathing, and pulse. If there is no response or breathing, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must be started immediately until emergency teams arrive.

She pointed out that the first five minutes after drowning are the golden period for rescuing the child and reducing complications, stressing that the presence of a trained adult capable of rapid intervention can make a significant difference in survival chances.

The pediatric emergency consultant spoke sadly about many situations in which she witnessed parents collapsing in grief over their children, stressing that what leaves the greatest impact on emergency department workers is witnessing the suffering of families after accidents occur.

She called on families not to be careless about safety measures inside pools or any place that may pose a risk to children, stressing that moments of negligence can leave lifelong regret, while supervision and awareness can save a child's life in a matter of seconds.