Simon Harold K, Tamura Tom, Colton Kevin
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Hughes Spalding Children's Hospital/Grady Health System, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Ga 30329, USA.
Ambul Pediatr. 2003 Mar-Apr;3(2):106-8. doi: 10.1367/1539-4409(2003)003<0106:rlosoy>2.0.co;2.
Unintentional drownings cause over 600 deaths annually among children < or =5 years of age. Bathtubs are one of the leading sites for such drownings for children < or =2 years of age and especially for children 1 year or younger.
To determine reported levels of supervision of children while they are in the bathtub.
A face-to-face questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of parents or guardians of children < or =5 years of age who presented to the emergency centers of 2 children's hospitals. The investigators developed a 17-point survey that included items related to general demographics and bathtub supervision. Parents and guardians were asked details concerning who supervised while the child was bathing, any unsupervised periods, length of unsupervised periods, and activities during any unsupervised periods.
A total of 259 families participated in the survey (16% Caucasian, 79% African American, 1% Hispanic, 3% Asian, and 1% biracial). The mean caregiver age was 29.1 years (SD 7.9). The mean age of the child was 30.5 months (SD 22). Overall, 31% of the respondents reported leaving their child unsupervised for some period of time in the bathtub. The mean age of children left alone was 37.5 months, with the youngest being 5 months old. Seventeen percent of children < or =24 months of age (N = 123, mean age 12.7 months) and 15% of children < or =12 months of age (N = 60, mean age 6.7 months) were reportedly at times left unsupervised in the bathtub. Common caregiver activities when leaving the child unsupervised included getting a towel or diapers, answering a phone, and cooking. A 5-month-old child was left unsupervised for >2 minutes, and an 8-month-old child was reportedly left unsupervised for >5 minutes to cook a meal. In addition, 20 of 259 respondents (7.7%) reported that their children bathed alone before the age of 5 years, and 4 respondents (1.5%) reported that their children bathed alone before the age of 2 years. Although most primary supervisors were adults, 5 children were at times supervised by children <10 years of age. No significant differences were seen based on the hospital, race, or educational level of the families.
Many parents reported leaving their young children at times inadequately supervised in the bathtub. This occurred in children as young as 5 months of age. Given the potential risk of drowning when their children are inadequately supervised, parents should be advised concerning proper supervision in early anticipatory guidance.
五岁及以下儿童每年因意外溺水死亡人数超过600人。浴缸是两岁及以下儿童，尤其是一岁及以下儿童溺水的主要场所之一。
确定报告的儿童在浴缸内时的监护水平。
对到两家儿童医院急诊科就诊的五岁及以下儿童的家长或监护人进行便利抽样面对面问卷调查。研究人员制定了一份包含17个问题的调查问卷，内容涉及一般人口统计学和浴缸监护情况。家长和监护人被问及孩子洗澡时谁在监护、是否有无人监护时段、无人监护时段的时长以及无人监护时段内的活动等细节。
共有259个家庭参与了调查（16%为白人，79%为非裔美国人，1%为西班牙裔，3%为亚裔，1%为混血儿）。照料者的平均年龄为29.1岁（标准差7.9）。孩子的平均年龄为30.5个月（标准差22）。总体而言，31%的受访者报告曾在某个时段让孩子在浴缸内无人监护。无人监护时孩子的平均年龄为37.5个月，最小的为5个月大。据报告，17%的24个月及以下儿童（n = 123，平均年龄12.7个月）和15%的12个月及以下儿童（n = 60，平均年龄6.7个月）有时在浴缸内无人监护。照料者在让孩子无人监护时常见的活动包括拿毛巾或尿布、接电话和做饭。一名5个月大的孩子被无人监护超过2分钟，据报告一名8个月大的孩子被无人监护超过5分钟去做饭。此外，259名受访者中有20人（7.7%）报告他们的孩子在5岁前独自洗澡，4名受访者（1.5%）报告他们的孩子在2岁前独自洗澡。尽管大多数主要监护人为成年人，但有5名儿童有时由10岁以下儿童监护。在不同医院、种族或家庭受教育程度方面未发现显著差异。
许多家长报告有时让幼儿在浴缸内监护不足。这种情况发生在小至5个月大的孩子身上。鉴于孩子监护不足时有溺水的潜在风险，应在早期预期指导中就适当监护向家长提供建议。
