In the U.S. drowning is the most common cause of death for ages 1-4 except for birth defects, and is the second most common cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-14 as per the CDC. Attendees will learn the pathophysiology of drowning and why it can be missed or misdiagnosed. The most common causes of pediatric drowning will be presented to help practitioners develop prevention strategies and determine if guardian negligence exists. Descriptions of the three possible outcomes (nonfatal, fatal w/ morbidity, and fatal) are presented to provide an understanding of how to better recognize missed/misdiagnosed cases and possible guardian lack of care. Attendees will watch videos of actual pediatric drowning events to better catch reporting party deception, understand the possible psychological trauma experienced by survivors, and improve investigation effectiveness.
Learning Objectives:
State the definition of drowning and list the three possible medical outcomes of a
drowning event
Describe the pathophysiology of a fatal drowning and of a nonfatal drowning with
morbidity
Explain what caregivers need to know about nonfatal drowning in order to
recognize the signs/symptoms and the consequences to the child
