Drowning could easily be called “The Silent Killer” because when a child goes under water, they seldom make a single sound. Literally, seconds count when a child goes under water:

• 30 seconds to 1 minute -- the airway closes and the child’s lips turn blue.
• 1 to 2 minutes -- the child loses consciousness.
• 2 to 5 minutes -- the heart can stop. The child still has a chance of survival if rescued now.
• 5 minutes or more -- permanent brain damage is occurring as each second ticks by.

Each year, water-related injuries send thousands of children to hospital emergency rooms, including East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Safe Kids of the Greater Knox Area, Dollywood's Splash Country and Kohl's Departmet Stores remind parents, grandparents and other caregivers that following simple water safety rules will help keep children safe in any type of water and help minimize a child’s risk of drowning.

Children’s Hospital’s Healthy Kids program offers regular classes on CPR certification. For more information or to sign up for classes, call the Children’s Hospital Community Relations Office at (865) 541-8165.