Keeping your children safe by the pool

Summer is here and many families are at home trying to make the best of their current situation. Pools and outdoor water attractions are a great way to spend the summer and cool down at the same time. That being said, making sure your kids are safe by the pool can mean the difference between life and death.

Children and Drowning Accidents in the USA

According to reports by the Centers for Disease Control every day around ten people on average die from accidental drowning in the United States, of those ten people, two are children that are age 14 or younger. Accidental drowning can happen in the blink of an eye and you may not even be aware that it is happening until it is too late.

On top of that, secondary drowning can occur hours after a child has been “safely” pulled from the water. Secondary drowning occurs when the individual has taken in water during the potential drowning and is revived for a time before the fluid then causes them to drown later, often at home in the evening.

Some Child Safety Tips by the Pool This Summer

Knowing how to keep kids safe around the swimming pool is a must and these are a few safety tips to keep your younger pool goers safe this year.

• Add a Safety fence.
• Avoid distraction.
• Send the kids to swimming school.
• False sense of security.
• The 10/20 Norm.
• Do not leave toys near or inside the pool.
• Knowing CPR(cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

• Always have an adult present– This cannot be stressed enough. Even if a child is a strong swimmer or you just have to step away for a second, it is always best to make sure that there is an adult near or in the pool at all times.
• Children can be swimming fine one moment then panic and need assistance the next and making sure that there is always someone there can mean the difference between life and death for a child in a pool.
• Pay attention to water depth– With smaller children especially, water depth can make a big difference in the overall safety.
• With children that are shorter than the depth of the water they should always wear a life vest or a floatation device of some sort to help make sure that their head is always above water.
• With taller children or those that are above the depth of the water in terms of height they should still be monitored but they may not need life preservers or floats.

• No running and keep toys up– With younger kids they are more likely to get near a swimming pool when they are unattended if there is something that draws their attention.
• Keeping toys up off the deck or away from the swimming pool when you are not actively swimming can keep kids from wandering too close to the pool when unattended.
• You should also make sure that children’s know that they are not allowed to run around the edge of the pool.
• Pools are notorious for having water around their edges even when no one is swimming so it is likely to be slick.
• Running and slipping on water can lead to a knocked head and even falling into the swimming pool which can lead to panic and taking water into the lungs unintentionally.

• Secure the pool when not in use- When you are not using the swimming pool or cannot be close by, make sure you barricade the pool and secure the ladder so that children’s cannot get in while unattended.
• Many of the accidental drowning deaths of children come from children that got into the pool while no one was watching.
• Making sure that access to the pool is restricted and that only an adult can get into the pool can help to prevent drowning accidents that are associated with inattention or with the pool being unattended.
• Sunscreen and sun protection- Though many people consider protection from drowning the most important safety tip for pools, you also need to make sure that your kids are protected from the sun while playing in swimming pools of any kind.
• With the use of sunscreen applied liberally and often, you can prevent sunburn which can be painful and can lead to sun poisoning.
• You also want to make sure that you are taking frequent breaks if it is very hot and that you are keeping kids hydrated.
• Dehydration can lead to disorientation and even to weakness which can also lead to drowning accidents. This goes for public and private swimming pools in New Jersey or wherever you may be located.

The swimming pool is a great thing and as long as you are safe, it can be the highlight of your summer.