5 Tips to Keep Kids Safe Near Water

1. Life jackets or other USCG approved devices

There are hundreds of flotation devices for kids to play with in the pool. A lot of them we probably used as kids. Most of them are not approved by the US Coast Guard (USCG). Some of them may actually put your child in danger.

Be sure that your kids have a life jacket that is approved by the USCG. Usually jackets are marked with this approval on the inside.  Stearn’s puddle jumpers are also approved by the coast guard for children weighing between 30 and 50 pounds.

Remember that even USCG approved life jackets are not a substitute for knowing how to swim.

2. Swimming lessons or water survival skills

Swimming lessons are available for children of all ages at most community pools and local YMCA facilities.  Prices for lessons vary, some are even free. If your children haven’t had swim lessons, teaching them water safety skills like floating, treading water, and holding their breath under water may just help save their lives.

3. Supervision at all times

It is important to supervise children around water at all times.  Children can drown in less than two inches of water. Young children are especially susceptible as they are usually top heavy and do not have the upper body strength to pull themselves out if they should fall head first into water.

Drowning can happen very quickly and doesn’t always look like you think it might. Keeping an eye on kids near all water at all times is a must.

4. Know what drowning looks like

Drowning often looks different in real life than it does in the movies. Often victims do not thrash about with lots of splashing.  Many children, especially those who don’t know how to swim, simply sink.

Drowning is the number 2 cause of accidental death in children under age two.  According to the US Coast Guard, approximately 750 children will drown in the next year. Most of them will be within 20 yards of a parent. Often parents don’t notice because they don’t know that drowning doesn’t look like it does in the movies.

5. Know about secondary drowning

If drowning isn’t scary enough, there’s another form of drowning that is just as dangerous. Secondary drowning, also known as dry drowning, occurs when a child breathes water into his lungs. Often parents think the child is okay initially with effects not showing until one to 24 hours later.

Kids can experience secondary drowning after ingesting water while swimming or being “dunked.”  Parents should watch for coughing, chest pain, trouble breathing, or feeling extremely tired if they suspect secondary drowning may have occurred.

Water can be a lot of fun, but it can also be dangerous. Knowing what to watch out for and what precautions to take can help keep your kids safe this swim season, so keep these five tips in mind and enjoy your fun in the sun!

Written by: Sara Parise