Summer is fast approaching and the pools are opening. Parents need to be aware that drowning is the secondleading cause of accidental injury-related death among children ages 1 to 14. In 2004, 30 children ages 14 and under died as result of accidental drowning in Georgia. Children age 4 and under accounted for 67 percent of these deaths

Yet, the lack of parental knowledge about drowning risks is striking. According to new research done by Safe Kids Worldwide, only a third (34 percent) of parents recognizes that drowning is one of the top two causes of accidental death among children. Also, more than 66 percent are not familiar with entanglement and entrapment risks.

Entrapment occurs when part of a child's body becomes attached to a drain because of the powerful suction of a pool or spa's filtration system. It also can occur when a child's hair or swimsuit gets tangled in the drain or on an underwater object, such as a ladder.

"A child is no match for the powerful suction of a drain," said Carol Ball of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Safe Kids Georgia. "The dangers of the drain can easily be mitigated with the right equipment. Parents should warn their children to stay away from drains and install safety devices if they own a pool or spa."

Ball offers these tips to parents to help keep their family safe in and around the pool:

Warn your children about the dangers of drain entanglement and entrapment, and teach them to stay away from the drain.

Install protection to prevent entrapment if you own a pool or spa. Protective measures include anti-entrapment drain covers, multiple drains in new construction, and a device to automatically release the suction and shut down the pump should entrapment occur.

Actively supervise your children around water, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency.

Ensure your pool has fencing around all sides and a self-closing, self-latching gate, to prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised. In addition, spas should be covered and locked when not in use.

Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both on the side of the house facing the pool or spa to alert you if a child wanders into the pool or spa area unsupervised.

Tie long hair securely so that it will not get caught in a pool or spa drain.

For more information on pool safety, visit www.choa.org or www.safekids.org.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, one of the leading pediatric healthcare systems in the country, is a not-for-profit organization that benefits from the generous philanthropic and volunteer support of our community. Operating three hospitals with more than half a million patient visits annually, Children's is recognized for excellence in cancer, cardiac, neonatal, orthopedic and transplant services, as well as many other pediatric specialties. Children's is ranked as one of the top 10 children's hospitals nationwide by "Child" magazine and is among "U.S. News & World Report's" top pediatric hospitals. Children's has also been named as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Fortune magazine. To learn more about Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, visit our Web site at www.choa.org or call 404-250KIDS.