Healthy ideas for your inbox
There's a reason that the arrival of summer brings an uptick in injuries and ER visits in our area. After all, with the combination of warm, sunny days, enticing alpine lakes and flowing rivers and maybe even a few margaritas thrown into the mix ... things can go wrong. Here are some of the best ways to keep yourself and your family safe and happy in the H20 until those cool fall breezes come creeping back in.
Water injuries to watch out for
UW Medicine’s emergency departments have seen it all when it comes to water-related accidents, but some of the most common include:
Boating injuries
As thrilling as it is to glide through waves on a boat, it’s one place you need to be extra cautious and aware of the risks. Boat-related incidents happen often during warm months. Common injuries include fractures and head injuries. Most accidents are caused by inexperienced boaters and intoxication.
Head injuries, sprains and fractures
These kinds of injuries can happen after jumping into the water and not knowing what lies beneath (probably/definitely some pokey rocks), tripping on the shore, falling on wet surfaces or even boating collisions or accidents, as mentioned above. Diving into water that’s too shallow can also cause neck fracture — a really devastating injury.
Cold water shock
Though some areas of the country don’t need to worry about cold water shock this time of year, here in the Pacific Northwest our water tends to stay chilly — even in soaring temps.
According to Dr. Marie C. Vrablik, a physician who practices in the Emergency Departments at the UW Medical Center — Montlake and Harborview Medical Center, cold water shock can occur when your body’s temperature drops below your normal temperature of 98.6 to 97°F. This can trigger gasping, rapid breathing or hyperventilating because of the shock of the water. Which is, of course, super dangerous if you’re swimming in the middle of a lake and you start to inhale water and panic.
In more extreme cases, hypothermia (when your body gets even colder) can set in and both brain activity and cardiopulmonary function can decline, meaning your vital organs are going to have a harder time functioning, causing confusion, lethargy and eventually loss of consciousness.
Drownings
Though drowning can happen to anyone, it happens a lot with kids — especially if they aren’t being well supervised while playing in and around the water, and especially if they don’t know how to swim. Just a few inches of H2O can be dangerous for little ones, and even if a child is rescued from the water after an incident, they might have injury to their lungs. If someone has persistent (longer than a minute or so) trouble breathing after water immersion or a near drowning, they should see a doctor ASAP. Call 911 for aid for someone with respiratory distress.
Ways to stay safe while enjoying the water
No, you do not need to completely avoid all that cool, refreshing water and sunshine that you dreamed about during those long gray months. You just need to take the proper precautions before you slip into your swimsuit. Here’s some advice from the experts on playing it safe:
Wear a life jacket
Though this may seem obvious, you’d be surprised at how many people don’t wear one. Need another reason to zip up that vest? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that around 85% of the people who drowned while boating in 2022 were not wearing their life jackets.
Learn CPR
Experts encourage everyone to learn CPR, or at least know the basics so you can help until others arrive. Though making sure you and your family can swim is most important, CPR can help save lives when things take a scary turn.
Use substances responsibly
It’s common to overdo it with alcohol or other substances when you’re relaxing in the sun with your friends, but getting intoxicated on a boat is particularly dangerous.
"You should treat boating like driving,” says Vrablik. “Don’t use substances when operating a boat or allow people to get intoxicated while driving them on a boat.”
She also explains that using recreational substances may make you impaired when you’re boating, jet skiing or paddle-boarding, and if you happen to fall into the water, you might not be able to rescue yourself.
Never go into the water alone
Make sure everyone, especially kids, understand that this is non-negotiable. Having a buddy in the water means that in case of emergency, someone is ready to help or get help. This includes when you’re doing activities like kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
Stay hydrated and use sunscreen
It’s just a good idea. Not only are water activities more fun when you’ve had enough fluids and aren't dealing with crispy skin, but your body will be happier and function better in case something unexpected does come up.
Be prepared for cold water and to (maybe) fall into it
To avoid things like cold water shock, it’s best to check the weather and water temperature before you head out — and consider staying out of the water if the temps are too low. And if you do fall in, or jump in, not realizing how cold it is ... stay calm. Get out quickly (but safely), or if you’re unable to, keep as much of your body out of the water as possible by using any floating objects. Can’t get out? Try to conserve your energy and heat until help comes — drawing your knees to your chin and keeping your legs together can help.
Supervise your children at all times
Even better, designate one adult to always be responsible for keeping an eye on the kids. You can pass the responsibility around and take turns, but there should always be eyes on the little ones. According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for children one to four years old, and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children five to 14 years old.
Water safety recap
The main thing to take away when it comes to water safety this summer?
“Sunscreen. Stay hydrated. Use substances responsibly. Never swim alone, and always have a buddy when engaging in water activities,” urges Vrablik.
After all, the summer months are meant for relaxation and spending precious time with loved ones — not for passing hours in the emergency room. Make good decisions, friends.
