My Fear of Shark Attacks

Jaws scarred me for life. What's scarier than a water-based horror movie with sharks? We can't see what is lurking beneath, and we certainly can't move as quickly as those predators. We don't have a chance! As a result, I've never liked going into the ocean, and that sentiment has intensified this summer. In North Carolina, there were eight shark attacks in one month. Now the beaches in New Jersey and Massachusetts are seeing sharks too! So, "just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water," it's not. Or, is it? Let's try to forget about Jaws for a minute (impossible, right)! Seriously, what are the real risks we, but more importantly, our children face in the water? The odds of being attacked by a shark are one in 11.5 million. In fact, there are only about 65 shark attacks worldwide, and only a handful are fatal. When you compare that to drownings, where over 800 children ages 14 die every year, the shark doesn't seem like such a huge threat. The number of drownings grows exponentially when you factor in people of all ages. Swimming is dangerous. That's why we recommend swimming lessons, install fences around pools, and require lifeguards to be on duty. But, just like in the movie Jaws, the water may just be the setting of these tragedies, not the cause of death. After my son, Simon, died from an undetected heart condition and it was initially ruled a SIDS death, I realized that we may be paying too much attention to the setting of death. We need to focus ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news