Keeping Afloat Around the Pool
by Lori Marques and Lisa Carter
With drownings being the fourth leading
cause of death of children under five years of age in the US, and the leading
cause of death in some states such as California, Florida and Arizona, enough
can not be said or read on the subject of water or pool safety.
Those statistics coming from the
US Product Safety Commission leads us to believe that with all we read on
swimming pool safety especially during the summer months one would think
this type of injury or death would be eliminated altogether.
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Unfortunately it is not. According to the USPSC an estimated 260 children
under five years of age drown each year in residential swimming pools and
spas. According to the Commission "an estimated 3,000 children under age
five are treated in hospital emergency rooms following submersion accidents
each year. Some of these submersion accidents result in permanent brain
damage."
As we move into the hottest month of summer (unless you're on the
other side of the world where it may be cold!) we want to put out a few reminders
regarding water safety excerpted from our book Paranoid Sisters' Child Safety
Made Easy.
Children must be constantly supervised by an adult when swimming.
The more people in or around the pool, the more supervision necessary. You
need to assign one person who is dedicated to watching the children. If that
person leaves, they need to pass that duty along to another responsible adult
(one that can swim).
Installing an alarm on doors leading to the pool area is a good
practice.
Pools should have a five foot high fence completely around them
with a locking gate or a safety cover.
Teach and enforce basic pool rules - No eating, running or glassware
by the pool.
* Keep objects not in use out of the pool - Children will go in the
water if they want something they see floating in it.
Take a cordless phone by the pool so you won't be tempted to run
in the house for "just a minute."
Remove small children from the pool if adults want to roughhouse.
Floating devices may give you and your child a false sense of
security.
Don't force children to participate - Let them adjust to this new
environment slowly. Your child may be more comfortable if other children
are in the pool with them.
Enroll your child in swim lessons - Opinions vary on the age for
this, ask your pediatrician his/her thoughts.
Drain childrens' pools and turn them upside down when not in use.
Learn CPR
Also, don't rely on lifeguards at public pools to watch over your children.
They need your help as they are supervising many children at once.
Diving injuries can result in quadriplegia, paralysis below the neck. The
USPSC gives the following precautions to divers:
Never dive into above-ground pools. They are too shallow.
Don't dive from the side of an in-ground pool. Enter the water feet
first.
Dive only from the end of the diving board and not from the sides.
Dive with your hands in front of you and always steer up immediately upon
entering the water to avoid hitting the bottom or sides of the pool.
Don't dive if you have been using alcohol or drugs because your reaction
time may be too slow.
Improper use of pool slides presents the same danger as improper diving
techniques. Never slide down head first; slide down feet first only.
Remember too that we set the example for our children. If we follow the rules,
it will be easier for them to follow them also. The bottom line is, you
can't be too cautious around water. It may seem that these tips are only
important during warmer months, however, pool safety all year around is
important. Just because you're not swimming in the pool in January doesn't
mean that it isn't a drowning hazard. Enjoy your summer, stay cool and stay
afloat!
About the Author:
Lori Marques and Lisa Carter are
moms and authors of Paranoid Sisters' Child Safety Made Easy. They reside
in the San Francisco-Bay Area and have six children between them.
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