TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

How can I keep my child safe in the pool?

File photo

Pools should be enclosed on all sides with a fence at least 4 feet high, without footholds or handholds that could help a child climb it.

ADVERTISEMENT

By RANI GEREIGE, MD

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 9, 2009

Pools are great places for kids to cool off and have fun during the summer. But backyard watering holes can be dangerous as well as inviting.

Accidents can happen quickly and silently, even in a few inches of water. Drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children younger than 15, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than half of the drownings for children ages 1 to 4 year are pool related. Most occur in the care of a parent, and often the child is left unwatched for less than five minutes. About 20 percent of near-drowning victims suffer permanent brain damage.

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to postpone installing a pool, if possible, until their child is older than 5. Other tips to help make the pool safe for children include:

Adult supervision

Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.

An adult trained in CPR should supervise children at all times. Practice "touch supervision" with children younger than 5 years old (adult within an arm's length of the child at all times).

Supervision by an older child, even the presence of a lifeguard, isn't a substitute for adult supervision.

Always assign one adult to watch every one to two kids. When adults are at private pools they may mistakenly assume someone else is looking out for younger swimmers.

Pool fencing

Enclose the pool on all sides with a fence at least 4 feet high, without footholds or handholds that could help a child climb it. It should separate the house and yard from the pool

Use gates that self-close and self-latch at a height that children can't reach.

Window guards and house door and pool alarms can provide additional safety.

Rescue equipment

Keep rescue equipment (such as a shepherd's hook or life preserver) and a telephone by the pool.

Inflatable swimming aids like "floaties" are not substitutes for approved life vests and can provide a false sense of security.

Pool covers

A power cover that meets the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials may add protection but should not replace the fence.

Never use a pool that is partially covered because young children can become entrapped. Avoid plastic covers that will not support the weight of small children.

In addition, don't allow kids to run around the pool deck or dive into a pool that is not deep enough. Secure the pool immediately after children are done swimming and remove all toys from the water so children aren't tempted to retrieve them.

Learning how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is drown-proof. Children are not developmentally ready for swimming lessons until after their 4th birthday. Swim programs for children younger than 4 should not be considered a way to decrease the risk of drowning. Some are water survival classes that teach infants to roll onto their backs if they fall in the water. Find a program that lets you swim with your young child without requiring the child to submerge the head, because swallowing too much water can make your child sick.

Dr. Gereige is associate professor of pediatrics and director of the Primary Care Pediatric Sports Clinic at USF Health.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT