10 Water Safety Tips To Prevent Drowning This Summer

In just seconds, a child can drown...Here's how to prevent it.

Written by Samantha Glazier,

Infant Survival Swimming Instructor

Drowning is the #1 leading cause of death in small children. Here's how to prevent it. 

1. Safeguard your pool with fences, self-latching gates, door locks, and alarms. Remove or block off all doggy doors. Don't always rely on these safeguards. Doors can be left open, locks can be disengaged. This is just one safeguard. 

2. Skill the child to be able to self-rescue. This is your greatest defense. When all the barriers listed above fail, that is where ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) lessons come into play. Children are strong, impulsive, curious and can get into anything. ISR lessons teach a child to be able to roll to their float, rest, and breath independently! This method saves many lives each year.  

3. Create strong routines for having your child ask you permission before entering the water every time! Use every time as a teaching moment. Don't assume your child will always remember what you say so teach routine repeatedly.

4. Always be in the water with your child. You want your child to associate being in the water with you! This builds confidence and trust and it ensures you stay aware of them while they are with you. 

5. Designate a Water Watcher. An effective water watcher needs to Stay off mobile devices, keep eyes on the pool at all times, recognize distress, and know CPR. With a drowning victim give Rescue Breaths first! Often times, parents of children who drowned say "it happened so fast". Stay present and avoid distractions that can draw you away from watching your child. 

6. When ending a day ensure barriers are in place and clean up all toys out of the pool so they don’t lure a child back to the water. Kids are curious so if they see toys left in the pool, they may think it is still safe to play in the water. 

7. If a child is ever missing check the water First! Time is critical so check the water first thing.  

8. Do Not use Puddle Jumpers! They put your child in the Vertical (drowning position) in the water. They make a child feel overconfident with no skills to match it. Children that are allowed to jump in while wearing any PFD (personal flotation device) and bob around the water don’t understand that it’s the PFD keeping them above water. So when the PFD is removed and the child finds his way back to water this is where accidents happen. 86% of drownings happen during non-swim time and when a child is fully clothed. 

9. Use a US Coast Guard Life Vest when around open water that is unpredictable. No PFD’s are reviewed or recommended for use in a pool.

10. Wear Bright to stay Insight! Dress your child in bright colored swimsuits that are easy to spot, not blues that blend into the water. So avoid blue colored swim suits that make it difficult to see your child in the water. 

Drowning is the #1 cause of death for children ages 1-4. It’s silent and can happen in just 21 seconds. Drowning is also Preventable! 

To learn more about ISR and find a certified instructor near you go to www.infantswim.com

For more water safety information please follow CAST Water Safety Foundation. They work tirelessly to empower families to make educated decisions about the water safety needs of their family! www.castwatersafety.org @castinghope

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out!

Education is power and once you know Better you can do Better! Together we can make a difference! #notonemore

Citations:

Drowning is leading cause in death for children ages 1-4