Children Aren’t Waterproof
Children can drown in very small amounts of water. This includes the bathtub as well as pools, spas, and hot tubs. Children really aren’t waterproof, but there are many things you can do to keep them safe!
Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death for American infants and children under the age of five.
There is no substitute for adult supervision in the swimming pool. If you have kids outside around a pool or hot tub or in the water, and adult should be outside to ensure safety. In addition, check out this list of safety tips.
Safety Tips
- Always watch children around water because they aren’t waterproof!
- Never leave a child alone. Don’t even let them out of your eyesight—not even for a second.
- Limit access to the pool, spa, or hot tub with locked doors and/or gates whenever you can’t supervise swimming or soaking.
- Check the pool or spa to be sure no suction outlet fitting is missing, broken, or loose. People can get trapped.
- Be aware of where suction fittings (drains) are located and do not play or swim near them. Your body, swimsuit or hair can get trapped, causing permanent injury or drowning.
- Keep toys, especially wheeled toys, away from the pool, spa, or hot tub. A child playing with these could accidentally fall into the water.
- Only practice safe swimming behaviors. Don’t engage in extended breath-holding activities underwater.
- Always use a water-watcher. No one should swim alone.
- Adults should model good safety behavior.
Drowning Prevention Tips
Don’t forget that adult supervision is paramount when it comes to keeping kids (and pets) safe from drowning.
Children are naturally attracted to pools and hot tubs. This is why having a fence or other barrier is so important around outside water. You also want to install self-closing or self-latching mechanisms on the gates and doors leading from the house to the pool area. Make sure the latch is put higher so toddlers and young children can’t reach it.
Install an alarm system for your pool or hot tub, too, so you can learn if someone has gotten in the water.
You can’t be too cautious. Do everything you can to keep children safe around your swimming pool and hot tub.
In addition, don’t put tables or chairs near the fence around your pool. Children will climb and can get in!
Keep high vegetation away from the pool as well so you can see into the pool area.
One final thought – remove your pool or hot tub cover completely before using as kids can drown underneath them.
To Conclude
No, children aren’t waterproof, but you can help make sure they are as safe as possible. If you’re looking for safety tools, please stop by either location so we can help!
We proudly carry BioGuard products!
