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With temperatures heating up and children out of school for the summer, a popular place for families to be is at the beach or local swimming pool.
But did you know one of the leading causes of death in children ages one to four is drowning? It is important to supervise your children around bodies of water, secure the area around your backyard pool, and teach your children about water safety. By doing so, you can help prevent serious injuries or even death.
According to Health Canada, Canadians should keep young children and inexperienced swimmers in view and within arm's reach at all times when they are in water. This will reduce the risk of serious injury.
Children should be closely monitored even when they use swimming aids such as armbands, floating seats, water wings and neck rings. These devices are not intended to save lives and they can give a false sense of security, which could result in a lack of proper supervision.
If a child does not know how to swim, consider putting them in swimming lessons and signing yourself up for first aid training to learn basic lifesaving skills. You can also choose a safe place to swim, such as a supervised beach or public swimming pool.
Every year children drown in backyard swimming pools with children ages one to four being the most at risk. If you have a backyard pool, build a fence that is at least 1.2 meters high all the way around your pool and install a gate that is self-closing and self-latching beyond a child’s reach. Keep anything away from the fence that can be used as a ladder.
It is also advisable to keep lifesaving equipment such as a safety ring with a rope and a first aid kit near the pool. In addition, keep emergency phone numbers easily accessible should something bad happen!
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