Water Safety

Things are heating up!  It's a great time to think about water safety with your kids. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1-4.  Here are some safety tips to help prevent a tragic accident.

At Home

It is easy to leave items that hold water around the house that you wouldn't think are drowning hazards. For example, you should always empty those kiddie pools every time you are done using them and store buckets empty and out of reach of children.  Don't ever leave a child unattended in the bath.  It is easy to walk out of the room for the second and that second could be all it takes!

Large Bodies of Water

When at the lake, river, ocean, pool or any large body of water, put your child in a well-fitted US Coast Guard approved life jacket.  At social events, take turns with other adults being "water watchers", even when a lifeguard is present.  Stay within arm's reach of your child.

Home Pool or Hot Tub

Does your home have a pool or hot tub?  The AAP recommends adding fences and alarms to home in ground and above ground pools and hot tubs.  The fence should be at least 4 feet tall and have a self-latching gate.  When visiting friends and family who have pools or ponds behind their house and no fence or safety latches, it is a good idea to put a well-fitted life jacket on your child when outside.

A temptation for kids are toys. Remove all toys from in and around the pool when not in use. This can be a fun way to end the pool day with your child by cleaning up all the toys and floaties.