Western Australia has recorded its highest number of toddler drownings in a decade, sparking a warning to parents to check pool fences and remain vigilant.
After years of steady decline in the number of fatalities, eight toddlers drowned in WA in 2013 – two more than the year before and the highest number since 2003.
All of the deaths occurred around the home – half in backyard swimming pools and the rest in bathtubs.
Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) of WA senior manager of health promotion and research, Lauren Nimmo, said a further 35 children were admitted to hospital after coming close to drowning.
“A significant proportion of these children will face lifelong consequences as a result of a brain injury,” she said.
She said the figures were “disappointing”.
“It really does only take such a short amount of time for a toddler to drown and unfortunately these incidents do occur in those short time periods where supervision may lapse,” she said.
“We really are urging parents to be aware that constant supervision around water remains the most effective way to keep children safe and particularly as we are heading into summer, the most dangerous time of the year, to really consider ways they can make their house safer.”
She said it was important for pool owners to check that pool fencing and gates were in good working order.
“In WA we have some of the strongest pool fencing legislation in the country but barriers are only effective when they are correctly used and maintained,” she said.
In 2012/2013, the latest statistics available, Western Australia recorded the second-highest rate by population of drowning deaths in the country, according to Royal Life Saving.