Written by: Safekids Media
09/07/2010 11:23 AM 

Truth #1 Lack of parental supervision

Children drown quickly and silently - in a matter of seconds. Adults who are present when a child drowns are often distracted in some way; talking on the phone, chatting with other children or adults around the pool, or reading.

What you can do about it:

• Stay within sight and reach of your children whenever they are around water, and only have a phone nearby to call for help in case of an emergency.

• When there are several adults present and children are swimming, designate an adult that can swim and who is trained in First Aid and CPR to watch the kids and prevent gaps in supervision.

Truth #2 No barriers

Curious children, especially those under the age of five, can easily find and fall into all types of water like pools, rivers, tubs and buckets.

What you can do about it:

• Never leave a child alone when in or near a body of water - even if it’s less than a few centimetres deep.

• For pool owners, make sure your pool has four-sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate.

• Hot tubs should be covered and locked when not in use.

• Fence off a play area for the kids to keep them away from the lake.  

Truth #3 Poor swimming ability

Children from non-swimming households are eight times more likely to be at risk of drowning.

What you can do about it:

• Enroll your child in swimming lessons. If you do not know how to swim either, enroll in a parent-child, learn-to-swim class.

• To find swimming lessons, contact your local parks and recreation department.

Truth #4 No lifejackets

Many young children drown when no one planned to go in the water. They fall in when they are close to the water.

Nine out of 10 boaters who drown in Canada were not wearing lifejackets when they drowned.

What you can do about it:

• Young children under five and weak swimmers should wear lifejackets when they are in, on, or around the water.

• You and your child should always wear lifejackets when riding in a boat.

 Truth #5 Lack of training

Drowning victims, who are rescued from the water need CPR immediately - before the ambulance arrives. CPR can prevent brain damage and be the difference between life and death.

What you can do about it:

• Get certified. There are plenty of First Aid & CPR classes available to meet busy schedules from a variety of training agencies such as the Canadian Red Cross and St. John Ambulance.

Copyright ©2010 Safekids Media

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Tags: drowning , kids , water safety , pools , lifejackets

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Location: Blogs Safety Drowning Prevention

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