Water Safety With Kids

It’s every mom’s worst nightmare, but keeping our kids safe around water is a responsibility we all must share and take some time to really consider.

In this article, we start by laying down the sobering facts about drowning and then provide practical tips to make sure your little ones stay cool by the pool.

DID YOU KNOW?

– Drowning is the second biggest cause of accidental death among young children.
– Drowning doesn’t only happen in swimming pools or in open water like the sea or in rivers.
– A child can drown in 30 seconds, in just a few centimeters of water.
– Most of the time, a child that is drowning can’t scream for help. That’s why it’s known as a silent killer, and why it’s essential we take great care whenever our children are around water.

Let’s plunge into what water safety practically looks like:

BY THE POOL:

• Make sure that any pool your child will be around has a fence and child-proof gate that is securely locked when you or another adult is not present and swimming. No exceptions.
• Many drownings occur when everyone is playing and socialising around the pool. Perhaps because when everybody’s watching the kids, nobody really is. Rather, make sure one adult is ultimately responsible to look out for the kids in the pool at all times.
• Remember: buoyancy aids such as inflatable wings and tubes are only aids. Never rely on them to protect your child from drowning.

AT HOME:

• It’s not just the pool that you need to be careful around, don’t forget other forms of water – baths, buckets, water tanks, and open drains are also potentially dangerous for small children.
• Always empty paddling pools, buckets, and baths when not in use. If you must keep them full, make sure they have a childproof lid or are kept behind a locked door.
• Never leave small children unattended in the bath. Ignore the phone and the doorbell. If the disruption is unavoidable, take the child with you when you attend to the call.

ON THE OPEN WATER

• The sea and large rivers, lakes, and dams can be unpredictable. For this reason, children need to be supervised at all times – even if they know how to swim.
• Always adhere to “no swimming” warning signs.
• Beware of strong currents. Children can be swept away, even on floating toys such as lilos.
• Children should always wear life jackets when on a boat, or when fishing from the shoreline.

TEACH YOUR TOT

• As soon as possible, teach your child basic water safety tips to avoid drowning.
• Teach them to never run around a pool, or go into the sea on their own, or reach over the bath or pool to fetch a toy.
• Let them know that they should never jump in to help when others are in trouble. Rather, they should run for help.
• If they do fall in, show them how to quickly turn around and hold onto the side of the pool. At bathtime, encourage them to blow some bubbles under the water, to get them familiar with what to do in the event that they should ever fall into water (holding their breath and breathing out, never in).
• Teach children to never pretend they’re in trouble in the water when they’re not.
• Teach your child how to stay afloat in water with their clothes on, as well as how to tread water and quickly turn around and hold onto the side of a pool. There are loads of online tutorials if you’re looking for guidance.

WHAT TO DO:

Here’s what to do if your child is in distress in water:

• Throw the child an object that you know will float; or offer a long object to hold on to. This is better than jumping in yourself — at all costs, avoid a double tragedy.
• Don’t let other children jump in the water to help others.
• If you must go into the water, take something for the child to hold on to rather than letting them hold on to you.
• Do child CPR if the child is not breathing or has no heartbeat.
• Always take a child for medical observation after a near-drowning incident, even if they appear to be fine. If they have inhaled too much water, it can lead to latent drowning later on if not dealt with professionally.

ALL ABOUT CPR

Everyone who looks after children should be familiar with basic CPR.

Knowing how to clear the airways, breathe for a child, or get their heart beating again could just make all the difference.

For a refresher, here’s a short video on how to do CPR on a child: