1. The Grief and Mourning Quiz

Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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The following are drowning risks in infants and children:

• Lack of supervision in the bathtub or other body of water
• A swimming pool is a risk factor in itself. Children who have drown, have only been out of sight for less than 5 minutes.
• Lack of life jackets (personal floatation devices) on boats. Pool toys are not a substitute for a "real" life jacket.
• Child abuse or neglect

The following are drowning risks In teenagers and adults:

• Alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is a factor in half of all teenage and adult drowning deaths.
• Inability to swim
• Medical emergency in the water. This includes victims who experience a heart attack, stroke or seizure in the water. It also includes open water drowning victims who sustain an animal bite or evenomation (sting).
• Fatigue or exhaustion when swimming. The buddy system is meant to prevent drowning associated with unsupervised swimming or failing to follow water safety rules.
• Not appreciating the environment. This includes diving into shallow water and sustaining a head or neck injury, or falling into the water when walking on thin ice.
• Boating accidents
• Lack of life jackets (personal floatation devices or PFDs)
• Scuba diving accidents
• Suicide attempts

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