New Drowning Prevention Guidance

For many families, water represents joy, summer afternoons, swimming lessons, beach vacations, backyard pools and time spent together. But in pediatrics, we also know that water can become dangerous in seconds, often quietly and without warning. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in children, and recent updates from the American Academy of Pediatrics reinforce that prevention must be layered, proactive and tailored. In this episode, we explore how pediatricians can support drowning prevention, because some of the most important work in pediatrics happens long before an emergency occurs.  

We are joined by Jason Woods, MD. He specializes in emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital Colorado and is the Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is also an associate professor. 

In this episode, our expert discusses: 

• The AAP guidelines and toolkit details about drowning prevention 
• Why the definition of drowning has changed and why that matters 
• How drowning prevention is layered 
• The role of the pediatrician in feeling confident to counsel families on this topic