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Make A Splash This Summer...Safely!
Chances are likely that your child will spend a lot of time in the water this summer, cooling down from the hot weather and feeling happy and refreshed. The two most likely places they will go to get wet are beaches and pools. This experience should be a joyful one, not a dangerous one, so use the following water safety tips for your children and let them get the most out of their summer vacations without worry or danger.
Beach Safety
According to the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, 300 children under the age of 5 die of drowning each year, and another 3,000 are hospitalized for near-drowning accidents. A child can drown in a very small amount of water.
So, at the beach, NEVER allow your child to swim without an adult or without close adult supervision, even if s/he knows how to swim, is an accomplished swimmer, or is wearing flotation devices. Only bring your child to beaches that are properly patrolled by lifeguards, and swim with your child as close to a lifeguard as possible. If you are watching your child from the shore, never face away from the water, not even for a split second. Tell your child not to dive into unfamiliar waters, and make sure you both follow all rules and directions provided by the lifeguards at the beach. Also tell you child that if s/he is in any trouble in the water, immediately call or wave for help.
Given how important your responsibility is as a parent at the beach, do not drink alcohol, as it could impair your ability to both swim with your child and watch your child from the shore. Also, report any hazardous conditions to a lifeguard.
For sun safety tips, please refer to our link on Safety4Kids. And a great source for more information on beach safety is available on the San Diego Lifeguards page.
Pool Safety
Also according to the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, about 50% of all drowning deaths in the U.S. involve children in private swimming pools.
As is the case with the beach, NEVER leave your child alone or unattended in or near a pool, either private or public, even if your child is wearing swim aids [Note: do not use air-filled swim aids as they can be dangerous choking hazards]. Either go into the pool with them or watch them like a hawk from the outside of the pool while they are in the pool. A child sitting or walking around near the pool should definitely not be unattended either; in a split second they could fall over the side into the pool and you might not hear or see them do so.
For a private pool that is connected to your house, put a tall fence with self-latching gates around the pool so your child cannot wander into it. Many towns have safety ordinances about fences around private pools. Keep rescue equipment and a phone by the poolside, and always remove toys from the pool after use so your child is not tempted to go back in to play with them. Do not forget to secure the pool area when you leave with your child to go back to the house.
Two other excellent preventative measures are: learn CPR, and teach your child how to swim.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a great page on pool safety for children.
Children need to have fun and summer is an especially fun time for them. If you can have peace of mind at the same time, you may just have a little fun yourself this summer!
Beach Safety
According to the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, 300 children under the age of 5 die of drowning each year, and another 3,000 are hospitalized for near-drowning accidents. A child can drown in a very small amount of water.
So, at the beach, NEVER allow your child to swim without an adult or without close adult supervision, even if s/he knows how to swim, is an accomplished swimmer, or is wearing flotation devices. Only bring your child to beaches that are properly patrolled by lifeguards, and swim with your child as close to a lifeguard as possible. If you are watching your child from the shore, never face away from the water, not even for a split second. Tell your child not to dive into unfamiliar waters, and make sure you both follow all rules and directions provided by the lifeguards at the beach. Also tell you child that if s/he is in any trouble in the water, immediately call or wave for help.
Given how important your responsibility is as a parent at the beach, do not drink alcohol, as it could impair your ability to both swim with your child and watch your child from the shore. Also, report any hazardous conditions to a lifeguard.
For sun safety tips, please refer to our link on Safety4Kids. And a great source for more information on beach safety is available on the San Diego Lifeguards page.
Pool Safety
Also according to the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, about 50% of all drowning deaths in the U.S. involve children in private swimming pools.
As is the case with the beach, NEVER leave your child alone or unattended in or near a pool, either private or public, even if your child is wearing swim aids [Note: do not use air-filled swim aids as they can be dangerous choking hazards]. Either go into the pool with them or watch them like a hawk from the outside of the pool while they are in the pool. A child sitting or walking around near the pool should definitely not be unattended either; in a split second they could fall over the side into the pool and you might not hear or see them do so.
For a private pool that is connected to your house, put a tall fence with self-latching gates around the pool so your child cannot wander into it. Many towns have safety ordinances about fences around private pools. Keep rescue equipment and a phone by the poolside, and always remove toys from the pool after use so your child is not tempted to go back in to play with them. Do not forget to secure the pool area when you leave with your child to go back to the house.
Two other excellent preventative measures are: learn CPR, and teach your child how to swim.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a great page on pool safety for children.
Children need to have fun and summer is an especially fun time for them. If you can have peace of mind at the same time, you may just have a little fun yourself this summer!
