For a lot of families, summer vacation includes spending time by the pool, at the beach, or in the lake or water park. It’s a great way to cool off on hot days, but being around water can be a dangerous situation for kids, as drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages one to four. “People can have the attitude that drowning happens to other people,” says Adam Katchmarchi, CEO of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA). “But in reality, drowning happens to good parents, and drowning can happen when you’re on vacation and supposed to be having fun."
To keep the entire family safe around water this summer, these are the tips recommended by experts:
- Sign up for swimming lessons before traveling - Research shows that teaching a child water competency can lower the risk of drowning by up to 88%. Start kids in swimming lessons as young as possible and give them refresher lessons year after year to make them more confident in the water.
- Practice water safety at home - Talk about guidelines with kids before you get wet, like never swimming without an adult present. Explain to them how important it is to follow the rules at the water park, pool or beach and to always listen to lifeguards and other adults.
- Do your homework - For parents and adults, it’s a smart idea to learn basic first aid and CPR, so you know what to do in an emergency. Also, learn what drowning looks like in real life, because it’s not what we see on TV or movies with people flailing their arms and screaming. It can happen in just 30 seconds and it’s silent.
- Bring the right gear - For swimming in open water or boating, this includes a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket that’s the right size for your kid. Putting kids in bright or neon swimsuits is better than blue colors or dark shades, which blend into the water and are hard to see, even in a clear pool.
- Stay alert - Take turns having a designated water watcher, one adult who’s dedicated to keeping eyes on swimmers at all times, without distractions like phones, books and conversations. For kids who aren’t proficient swimmers yet, experts advise having an adult in the water close enough to touch them at all times.
- Remove temptations and create barriers - Nearly 70% of childhood drownings happen at non-swim times when a kid isn’t expected to be in the water. To avoid this, keep doors closed, leave alarms on and teach kids that rafts, pool noodles and floats aren’t life saving devices.
Source: USA Today
Scott's Thoughts:
- Time to ditch all those blue bathing suits, kids!
- Honestly, I am lucky to be alive. As a kid I swam across the New River in McCoy without parents around many times. (Just to prove that I;m a man)
- When my kids were little they were like fish. Loved the water.