Staying Afloat

In yesterday's blog I shared some statistics about drownings. They are scary facts but drownings are not inevitable. There are many things we can do to prevent such a tragedy...

• The most important thing we can do is be in the pool with our children. If it's a kiddie pool then we can be within arm's reach in case they slip or lose their balance.

• I've seen parents put arm floats or vests on their young kids and let them swim alone while they watch from outside the pool. I just want to say that these are not meant to keep your kids safe. They are toys.

• A lot of these devices actually create a hazardous situation where children are unable to turn face-up or to move their arms to save themselves. Many are easy to remove by pulling on velcro, or slide off those little arms.

• A child who always gets in the pool with any kind of floating device doesn't know that if they don't have that on they can sink and drown. I prefer never to use these, but if you love them, be sure to always bring them into the pool without them and take them off a few minutes before they get out. That way they understand that they should never get in the pool by themselves. 
• If most children who drown are in the company of one or both parents at the time they drown it means there are probably distractions present. Bring a phone to the pool with you to dial 911 in case of an emergency... not to check e-mail, chat with friends or surf the web. 

• Also, designate a person to watch the children in the pool. Many times, when there are a lot of adults present, each thinks someone else is watching the kids. 

• Enrolling children in swimming lessons will teach them not only how to swim, but also how to get out of the pool in case they fall in, how to float face-up, and that they should never ever get in the pool without an adult. 

• Most children drown in residential pools, were last seen in the home, and had been out of sight less than 5 minutes. A four-foot, four-sided fence with a self-latching mechanism can prevent children from wandering into an unsupervised pool. 

• A child can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. Keeping plastic and inflatable pools empty and turned upside down when not in use can prevent an accident. 

• My husband and I took a CPR class before our eldest was born and just renewed our certification this year -- we want to be prepared in case of an emergency. You can find classes through your local chapter of the American Red Cross; http://xrl.us/bk2gy4. 

Taking these precautions gives us peace of mind and allows us to enjoy the laughter and joy children express when they are swimming in the sun! Have fun!