title: Childhood near-drowning--a 12-year retrospective review.
abstract: The epidemiological findings in 107 patients admitted to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, between 1976 and 1987 with a diagnosis of near-drowning are reported. Of these patients, 77% were less than 5 years of age (ratio of boys to girls 2.1:1) and 46% of accidents occurred in swimming pools, 18% in buckets and only 9% in the sea. The high percentage of bucket near-drownings is unique in published medical reports; this appears prevalent in socially disadvantaged communities. Seventy-six per cent of the children were normal on discharge from hospital, 12% died and 6% had neurological damage. In 6% the final outcome was not known. These results are in keeping with other hospital-based studies. Preventive strategies are discussed and the need for further research highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, University of Cape Town.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kibel
authors.forename: F O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cywes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015701:Near Drowning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology