Lakes, beaches, ponds and pools mean summer fun and cool relief from hot weather. Water can also be dangerous for children if you do not take the proper precautions. Nearly one-thousand children die each year by drowning. Most drowning does occur in home swimming pools. It is the second leading cause of accidental death for people between the ages of 5 to 24.
There are many ways to keep children safe in the water and make sure that they take the right precautions when they are on their own.
Keeping Children Safe
Children need constant supervision around water; whether the water is in a bathtub, a wading pool, an ornamental fish pond, a swimming pool, a spa, the beach or a lake.
Young children are especially vulnerable; they can drown in less than 2 inches of water. That means drowning can happen where you least expect it: Some examples are – the sink, the toilet bowl, fountains, buckets, inflatable pools or small bodies of standing water around your home, such as ditches filled with rainwater. Children need to be always supervised very closely when they are in or near any water.
One recommendation we have for parents who do not know how to swim is to take swimming lessons. Additionally, it is a great idea to enroll your child in a swimming class. Check the local recreation center for classes taught by qualified instructors.
Do not assume that a child who knows how to swim is not at risk for drowning. All children need to be supervised in the water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. Infants, toddlers and non-experience swimmers must have an adult swimmer within arm’s reach to provide Touch Supervision.