It is the first day of summer, and while many will want to dive into their swimming pools, a recent report by the American Association of Pediatrics points out that African-American children are three times more likely to drown than white kids, mainly due to deeply entrenched fears of drowning. The second leading cause of non-injury-related death in children under 19, drowning is easily preventable through swim lessons and constant monitoring, but an astounding 70 percent of African-American children – compared with 40 percent in white kids – have little or no swimming ability. Dr. Ross strongly advises parents to “teach your children to swim this summer. Of course, constant vigilance by parents over young swimmers – in the pool or the ocean – is also a good way to protect them from danger in the water.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) has declared this week Lightning Safety Week, informing us of another summer risk. Being struck by lightning is perceived to be a rare risk, but the NWS reports that we have already seen eight lightning-related deaths this year alone and “hundreds of people are permanently injured each year. People struck by lightning suffer from a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms.” For more perspective into real versus perceived risks, visit ACSH’s Riskometer site.