Accidental drowning kills 830 youngsters under age 14 every year and injures 3,600, according to Safe Kids USA, a child safety organization. Beaches and lakes might logically seem like the biggest danger zones because they involve open water, but Safe Kids USA warns that most drownings of children aged 1 to 4 happen in home swimming pools. Home water safety is important for all youngsters because it can prevent a major tragedy.
Types
Home swimming pools pose an obvious danger to kids, but the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control warns that there are several other water dangers, including bathtubs, buckets and toilet commodes. Babies under age 1 are most likely to drown in standing water inside the home, while older children are more vulnerable to swimming pool accidents. Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, a pediatrician, warns that inflatable pools are just as dangerous as permanent ones, especially since they are not enclosed by a special barrier.
Indoor Prevention
Lock bathroom doors and never leave water standing in buckets and other containers if there are very young children in the household. Never leave a child unattended in the bathtub, even for a very short time. The Drowning Prevention Foundation warns that babies can drown in 3 minutes or less. It explains that bathtub rings and seats are not safety devices and will not protect unattended babies. Parents should never be more than an arm's length away from a bathing child.
Outdoor Prevention
Safe Kids USA precautions that pool-owning households use fencing and door and gate alarms to protect youngsters. In-ground pools should have an automatic cover, and above-ground pool ladders should always be stored in the "up" position when the pool is not in use. Empty inflatable pools immediately after use. Don't leave standing water in buckets and other receptacles in the yard if there are babies and toddlers in the household and don't let them play outside alone.
Considerations
Children should be educated on water safety rules as soon as they are old enough to understand. Teach young kids never to fill the bathtub or use a pool without an adult present. The American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP, recommends that all children should learn to swim when they reach age 4. There are some programs for younger children, but the AAP states there are no studies that definitely prove they prevent drowning.
Warning
Supervision is an important key to children's water safety, but many adults do not realize that youngsters have slipped away until tragedy strikes. Safe Kids USA warns that one study showed nine out of ten kids who drowned were under adult supervision at the time. Take protective precautions to add as many layers of safety as possible.
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