Summer Safety Series - Pool Safety

An average of 3880 adults and children in the US die each year due to fatal drowning, according to federal health officials. 

CDC researchers analyzed death certificate data from the National Vital Statistics System and injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System -- All Injury Program for 2005 to 2009 and found drowning was the leading cause of injury death among children ages 1-4.

Alarming statistics no doubt. The truth is, I hate to put statistics up like this but I feel they must be reported in an effort to make us all aware that water safety should not be taken lightly. 

Here are a few guidelines drawn from the AAP concerning pool safety that I'd like to share: 

• If you have a pool, or are going to be visiting a place where there is a pool, make sure there is a fence installed on all sides of the pool. The fence should be at least four-feet high. Also, the fence should not have any openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under or through. 
• Ensure that pool gates open from the inside of the pool and self-close and self latch. Also, make sure that the latch is not easy to reach. 
• Under no circumstances should you leave your child unattended or alone in a pool. Even for a moment.  
• As soon as you can, consider putting your child in swimming lessons. Keep in mind that children may not be developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their fourth birthday. However, check around. In many places they allow swimming lessons to be conducted with a parent. 

My husband and I put our kids in swiming lessons at a very early age. Even though they weren't ready to swim on their own, they learned basic skills that helped them be more comfortable in the water once they got older. 

One important thing I want to mention regarding swimming lessons. Swim programs for children under 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning.

• Lastly, but certainly not least, whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision." If you are a parent of a toddler you know how fast they can be. Don't take chances. 

To read more about pool safety, check out this AAP link. http://www.aap.org/family/tipppool.htm You may also want to check out the resources on the healthychildren.org  site for more great info. 

Written by Joanna E. Betancourt MD FAAP