Every summer children enjoy the warm weather by swimming and doing other outside water activities. Unfortunately, drowning is a leading cause of death in children. Children can drown in any amount of water, including bathtubs, buckets, and toilets. There are some ways to help keep children safe around water.
Infants and toddlers
Remember that any amount of water can cause drowning. Infants and toddlers can drown in bathtubs and should never be left alone in a tub, even if in a bath ring. Children this age also drown in 5-gallon buckets and coolers filled with ice and water when they lean over to look into them and tip head-first into the bucket or cooler and cannot get out (this can happen with toilets as well). Never leave containers filled with liquid, and never leave a small child alone in a bathroom.
Preschoolers
Swimming pools are the most common reason for drowning at this age. Although drowning can occur while supervised, it is more common for a child this age to wander away and slip into a pool, quietly, and drown before the parent is even aware that the child is missing. Other hazards include ditches, retention ponds, and fountains. Pools should always have a fence that completely surrounds them (and not open into the house) and a gate that young children cannot open; ideally, the gate should be self-closing and self-latching. Children ages 3-5 years old can take swimming lessons, but the ability to swim does not mean that the child is safe in the water; they can easily get tired, confused, or scared and be unable to swim safely. Children this age, even if they can swim, must be observed carefully. No child at any age should ever swim alone.
School-age children and teenagers
Swimming and water activities are good exercise and a lot of fun for children this age. Children should always have adult supervision while swimming, and need to be particularly careful in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Children on boats need to wear proper life jackets at all times. Children who scuba dive, ski, or snorkel need to have the proper training and wear safety equipment. Children should be instructed about never diving head-first into water until the depth is known. Teenagers should be particularly careful and never swim alone. They often think they can swim better than they can and may become fatigued in the water. Teenagers should also be told about the dangers of swimming while drinking alcohol or using drugs.
Swimming and other water activities are generally great for kids; by following some simple precautions many accidental deaths and brain-damaging injuries can be avoided. Have fun in the water this summer, but be safe. And dont forget to use sunscreen!
