Whether at the cottage, at the beach or in your own backyard, water poses a real threat to children’s safety if parents aren’t extra cautious. While there’s nothing better than cooling down with a swim on a hot day, it’s worth it to spend a few moments each summer reviewing some safety tips and precautions.
Safe Kids Canada, a national organization that promotes strategies to keep kids from accidental injuries, reports that drowning is the second most common cause of injury and death for children under 14 years old. Approximately 58 children drown every year in Canada and another 140 are hospitalized for near-drowning, which sometimes results in brain damage.
Read on to learn how to keep your little water-babies out of harm’s way this season.
FLOTATION FACTS
Life jackets aren’t only for babies; they’re made for all ages and are a wise choice for youngsters and weak swimmers. Michele Mercier, national manager of swimming and water safety programs at the Canadian Red Cross, doesn’t advise the use of water wings or any floatation devices that aren’t Transport Canada- or Canadian Coastguard-approved. That means you should look for vests and life jackets. Vests are more kid-friendly than the jackets because they’re thinner and thus easier to move in, and they come in lots of fun colours. How do you know if a personal floatation device (PFD) is approved? Look inside: you should see a Transport Canada or Canadian Coastguard logo. The size will also be indicated inside along with the height and weight specifications. "Never buy PFDs too big, no matter how fast your child grows," says Mercier, "because a snug fit ensures safety."
POOLSIDE PRECAUTIONS
Toddlers: The Canadian Red Cross has compiled and reported national drowning statistics for the past 18 years. They’ve found that most drowning victims have been children under four years of age in backyard pools, and two thirds of those incidents happened when adults weren’t around. A recent report from Health Canada reveals that small children can drown quietly, in mere seconds, and in only an inch of water. Mercier adds that "children are naturally drawn to water," which is why they need constant supervision from a responsible adult. Safe Kids Canada strongly encourages parents to stay within sight and reach of their children at all times when they’re in or around the water.
Mercier also recommends bringing a cordless phone outside, along with a cooler full of drinks and a First Aid kit. This way you won’t have a reason to leave children unattended. The Red Cross strongly encourages all parents with pools to take First Aid and CPR courses in case there’s an emergency. It’s especially important given that CPR guidelines have changed since 2005.
Mercier also stresses the importance of swimming lessons for kids, but she notes that "swimming lessons aren’t drown-proofing lessons,so supervision is still key."
One of the most important issues with pools is access, especially with children under four. Mercier says that toddler drownings usually occur in swimming pools without appropriate fencing. "Nearly all toddler pool drownings and about one third of all toddler drownings could be eliminated if all home pools were equipped with self-enclosing, self-latching gates."
