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This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about having fun in the sun. Previously, we talked about keeping kids safe around the swimming pool. Kids aren’t the only ones who could be in danger of drowning, and alcohol plays a role in about half of all adult drownings.
Dr. Paul Pepe, chairman of emergency medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says alcohol impairs your judgment and inhibitions, which is especially dangerous around water. You shouldn’t drink before or during swimming or boating. If you don’t want to abstain from drinking around the lake, ocean or swimming pool for your sake, think of the children. You shouldn’t supervise children around water if you’ve been drinking because you may not be able to react well enough to help them in a crisis, and drinking while around the water sets a bad example for children who are learning about water safety by watching you.
Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/emergency to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in emergency care.
