What Do You Know About Swimming Safety for Kids?
When the weather warms up, you may start to think about taking your kids to the pool or beach. You have sunscreen to protect them, but how’s your swimming safety knowledge? Find out below.
1. The presence of a lifeguard at the pool or beach means you don’t have to watch your child.
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Don’t solely rely on a lifeguard to watch your child. Be alert. Don’t get distracted. Stay within arm’s reach of young children in and around water. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that parents should never leave children alone near water, even for a moment. Drowning happens quickly and silently. According to the Red Cross, many children who drown in home pools are out of sight for less than 5 minutes.
2. Your child likely doesn’t need swimming lessons.
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Most children should learn to swim for their own safety, says the AAP. The group advises swimming lessons for children when they are ready to learn the skills. For children ages 1 to 4, parents should decide if a child is ready to learn.
3. Swimming lessons started early will prevent a young child from drowning.
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Swimming lessons given from ages 1 to 4 help teach important skills, and may reduce a child’s risk of drowning. But swimming lessons are not proven to prevent drowning. The AAP doesn’t advise water safety programs for children under age 1. Even if your child knows how to swim, he or she needs to be watched constantly during pool time.
4. Child life jackets are mostly for boating.
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Life jackets should be worn when a child is in, on, or around water. This includes at pools, water parks, and on boats, rafts, or inner tubes. A life jacket should be used even if a lifeguard is present.
5. Water wings, inflatable toys, or noodles are fine in place of a child life jacket.
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Water wings, inflatable toys, and pool noodles are toys—not safety gear. They should never be used in place of a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. They may deflate, or a child may slip out of them and under the water.
6. Drowning is a major cause of death in children.
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In children ages 1 to 14, drowning is the second-leading cause of death after motor vehicle crashes. An average of 2 children die from drowning per day in the U.S. Young children aged 1 to 4 most often drown in swimming pools. Children age 5 and up are most likely to drown in rivers and lakes. But a child can drown in only one inch of water. Boys and African-American children have much higher rates of drowning than girls or white children.
7. A child who almost drowns needs a medical exam, even if he or she seems fine.
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Even if a child seems fine, he or she needs to be checked by a doctor. If a child stops breathing, inhales water, or loses consciousness, he or she needs to be watched for 24 hours. This is to make sure there’s no damage to the lungs or brain. Nearly drowning can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term memory problems, learning disabilities, and loss of basic functioning.
8. Every caregiver who takes kids to the pool should learn CPR.
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Any parent, nanny, babysitter, grandparent, or other caregiver who takes a child to the pool should learn CPR. The faster CPR is started, the better chance of a child’s recovery.
9. A motorized cover is the best way to protect children from accidental drowning in a backyard pool when it’s not in use.
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If someone forgets to put on the motorized cover, it doesn’t protect. It may also malfunction. The best protection is a fence that is at least 4 feet high with a self-latching gate. The latch should be at least 54 inches off the ground.
10. Swimming in a lake or river can be more dangerous than swimming in a pool.
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Swimming in a lake or river can take more ability. The water may be colder, and it may have currents and waves. The water can change quickly with the weather. Check the local weather forecast for strong wind or storms before taking a child to swim in a lake or river.
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