PROTECT YOUR CHILD FROM A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH!

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in all children and the leading cause of death in children aged 1 to 4, and it is preventable. Our role as your public health department is to provide ways to protect your children, but you must be willing to make the changes. The American Academy of Pediatrics has made several suggestions to improve these statistics.

A good start is swimming lessons for your child. Swimming lessons can start as young as one year of age. We encourage all children to take swimming lessons. About 30% of adults don’t know how to swim. Taking swimming lessons with your child would be a great way to improve water safety for all ages. Swimming lessons are available at our local city pool and water park.

All children who can’t swim and children under 4 should wear an approved life jacket when in a swimming pool. Approved life jackets have a USCG (Coast Guard) label on them. Inflatable arm rings and inflatable life jackets are not safe. They can deflate, resulting in a toddler struggling to stay above the water level or even in drowning. All children swimming in lakes, ponds, or beaches should wear an approved life jacket. If you go to an ocean beach, be very aware of rip tide warnings and stay on shore if a warning has been issued. It is the law that children on a boat wear an approved life jacket. Do not back away from the dock until all the children on board have their life jacket on.

All private swimming pools, in-ground and above ground, must have at least a 4 feet tall fence surrounding the pool. The fence must have a self-latching gate with the latch at the top of the gate on the inside. Having the pool area open to the door to the house is not safe. Children can walk out of the house and right into the pool. If there is a pool in the neighborhood close by, be sure the fencing is adequate to prevent your child from gaining entrance. If there is a pond or lake close to the house, provide fencing around the pond or around your yard to prevent access to these potentially dangerous waters. Curiosity and independence are characteristics of toddlers, and they love to push the limits.

Adolescents are at a higher risk in the natural bodies of water, ponds, lakes and oceans. They tend to take more risks and often are using alcohol or drugs that increases the likelihood of an accidental drowning. Encourage them to wear life jackets at the lake and not to use alcohol/drugs when swimming.

Large swimming pools are not the only risk for drowning. Infants and toddlers must be 100% supervised for their baths. Leaving the tub for even a few minutes may result in an infant or toddler getting underwater. Bathroom doors should be kept shut to prevent toddlers from getting into the toilet or tub without supervision. Yes, a toddler can drown in the toilet. Buckets should be emptied and inflatable pools should be emptied when not being used.

Having talked about preventive safety, it is still critical to have a designated “watcher” to serve as a monitor anytime children are in a pool or body of water. Even if a lifeguard is present, watching your own children to be sure they are safe helps prevent drowning. This is especially important on beaches, at lakes or the ocean. The “watcher” must be alcohol free while they are keeping watch. If you haven’t taken classes on CPR, please learn about what to do if someone has been rescued from a near drowning. CPR classes are offered at the health department.

There are a few clinical conditions that we need to be even more cautious with around the water. Children with autism are at a higher risk of drowning. They tend to be wanderers and must be watched even closer because they can get in trouble quickly with pools or ponds. Again, be very aware of neighborhood pools or ponds that may be close to your house. The other medical condition that has a higher risk than average for drowning is epilepsy. Children with a seizure disorder must wear a life jacket in the water, or if their seizures are not in good control, stay out of the water. Even if they are good swimmers, they have no control during a seizure and are at high risk of drowning.

Summertime can be great fun for your children and for the family. Be aware of water safety and provide a safe environment for your child. Arrange for swimming lessons, be sure your fencing is protective around your pool, get approved life jackets for your children. Special situations require more caution. Lake swimming and boating require life jackets even if you are a swimmer. If your child has special needs, more caution is required. Be prepared and protect your child to reduce the risk of drowning.