Poolside Precautions for Kids of All Ages
Last summer three local toddlers drowned in separate accidents in backyard pools. The summer before that, there were four deaths.
|
Backyard Accidents
According to the CPSC, of children involved in swimming pool drowning accidents, 75 percent were between 1 and 3 years old, too young to know how to swim and too young to be left alone near water. In most cases, as with the deaths of Long Island toddlers, a parent was nearby at the time of the accident. In fact, nearly half of the child victims were last seen in the house before the pool accident occurred and most weren't expected to be near the pool. Further, contrary to what we may assume, that these drownings occurred as a result of a child trespassing on property where they didn't live or belong, in 65 percent of the accidents, the child was in his or her own backyard. Finally, 77 percent of the swimming pool accident victims had been missing for 5 minutes or less when they were found in the pool.
In other words, it only takes a moment for a toddler to get into danger in their own swimming pool, even when parents are nearby. What's needed to ensure this can't happen, experts say, is strict vigilance on the part of parents and caretakers as well as rules that everyone in the family agrees to follow.
In other words, it only takes a moment for a toddler to get into danger in their own swimming pool, even when parents are nearby. What's needed to ensure this can't happen, experts say, is strict vigilance on the part of parents and caretakers as well as rules that everyone in the family agrees to follow.
|
Poolside Rules You may want to post rules near your pool. Be sure to go over them not only with your children, but also with anyone else who will be using your pool. Some suggestions are: -- Diving injuries can result in paralysis below the neck to divers who hit the bottom or side of a swimming pool. Never dive into above-ground pools. They're too shallow. -- Don't dive from the side of an in-ground pool. -- If you have a water slide, never slide down head first. Instead, slide down feet first only. -- Don't enter the pool without an adult present. -- No rough play is allowed. You may want to add to this list, depending upon your child's age. Get your children involved to see what ideas they have for safe swimming. You could tell everyone that if a swimmer breaks a rule, they'll have to leave the pool for a 10-minute time-out. -- Burby |
False Security
Since drowning rates are highest among children through age two, experts say whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water an adult should be within arm's length, providing touch supervision.
But attentiveness is also important as children get older. Jason Kornrich, Ph.D., director of ambulatory mental health services at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, says that for children between kindergarten and fourth grade, many of whom have newly developed swimming skills, parents may have a false sense of security.
"You'd hope there would be some validity to their security and you have to let your child have the opportunity to be independent," he says. "It's part of maturity, this pull to allow kids to enjoy independent experiences, while also making sure they're safe. When our children get older, we may have a tendency to let our guards down. But you have to be vigilant then too."
Parents of preteens and teenagers need to be concerned about pool safety as well, since the CPSC indicates that while the risk for drowning decreases somewhat for school-aged children who have had formal swimming lessons, it increases again for adolescents, usually because of alcohol use and other risky behaviors.
Another issue as our children mature is that they begin to invite friends over to play. Experts recommend no more than four children and that parents provide supervision the entire time. Don't leave the kids to play alone as accidents can happen when they engage in their typical horseplay.
But attentiveness is also important as children get older. Jason Kornrich, Ph.D., director of ambulatory mental health services at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, says that for children between kindergarten and fourth grade, many of whom have newly developed swimming skills, parents may have a false sense of security.
"You'd hope there would be some validity to their security and you have to let your child have the opportunity to be independent," he says. "It's part of maturity, this pull to allow kids to enjoy independent experiences, while also making sure they're safe. When our children get older, we may have a tendency to let our guards down. But you have to be vigilant then too."
Parents of preteens and teenagers need to be concerned about pool safety as well, since the CPSC indicates that while the risk for drowning decreases somewhat for school-aged children who have had formal swimming lessons, it increases again for adolescents, usually because of alcohol use and other risky behaviors.
Another issue as our children mature is that they begin to invite friends over to play. Experts recommend no more than four children and that parents provide supervision the entire time. Don't leave the kids to play alone as accidents can happen when they engage in their typical horseplay.
Safety Guidelines
In addition to constant supervision, the CPSC, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Suffolk County Health Department and Protect-A-Child Pool Fence, offer the following safety advice for pool owners.
Safety Equipment and Construction
-- In addition to the fence the state requires you to have around your backyard, surround your pool on all four sides with a sturdy five-foot fence. A successful pool barrier prevents a child from getting over, under or through and keeps the child from gaining access to the pool, except when supervising adults are present.
-- Install self-closing and self-latching gates and make sure they're out of a child's reach.
-- Keep all doors and windows leading to the pool area secure to prevent small children from getting to the pool.
-- Remove steps to above-ground pools when not in use.