Swimming Pool Safety for Kids
Children can enjoy swimming pools and stay safe if certain precautions are taken. The National Drowning Prevention Alliance has outlined specific safeguards concerning swimming behavior, physical barriers and alarms, and knowledge of rescue techniques. Pool safety is paramount as drowning ranks second as a cause of death for children under the age of 4. Close supervision by an adult remains the best way to prevent drowning. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
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Expert Insight
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Swimming pool safety for children involves many precautions. According to the NDPA, multiple strategies and devices must be used simultaneously to help prevent injuries and deaths from drowning. These include active adult supervision; preventing unauthorized entry with four-sided isolation fencing, gates and latches; safety covers; alarms; learning to swim; learning CPR and rescue techniques; and having an emergency action plan.
Prevention/Solution
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Teach your children pool safety rules. Closely watch a child near a pool, even if that child knows how to swim. Have your telephone and emergency numbers with you. Clearly mark the deep end and keep your children in shallow water if they are not experienced swimmers. Spell out rules: no running, no pushing, no swimming alone, no horseplay. Learn infant and child CPR. According to the National Safety Council, if you see storm clouds or hear thunder, get out of the pool immediately to avoid electrocution.
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Fences and Alarms
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Fence the pool area and install an alarm. Surround your pool with a fence at least 4 feet high with no foot or handholds for climbing. Include self-closing and self-latching gates that toddlers cannot reach. Install the fence flush to the ground to avoid a child crawling underneath. Alarms are available for gates, doors, windows and the perimeter. A floating alarm placed in the pool will detect movement in the water when a person or object weighing more than 15 lbs. enters the pool.
Drain Dangers
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Pool drains should be avoided. If a child's hair, swimsuit or arm or leg is pulled into a pool drain by the force of strong suction, serious injury and even death can occur. To avoid accidents, make sure your pool has an anti-entrapment drain cover and a safety vacuum release system. Check drains frequently and do not swim if a drain cover is missing or broken. Instruct your children to avoid contact with drains and also to tie up long hair.
Water Quality
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Pool safety includes clean water. Swimming pool water can be contaminated with bacteria, water illnesses such as giardia and E.coli. Chlorine is effective at killing many germs, but an inappropriate level of chlorine can lead to burning eyes and breathing difficulties. Check with your pool dealer to ensure you are effectively maintaining water quality. If the water looks murky, do not let your children swim.
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References
Resources
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