STORY BYFrom wading pools in the backyard to Olympic-sized pools at the community center, it takes just seconds for a child to slip underwater and drown.
According to recent data released by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), nearly 300 children younger than 5 years drown in pools and spas each year. About 3,000 suffer pool or spa-related injuries requiring medical attention at hospital emergency rooms. More than half of these incidents occur in June, July and August.
How can you protect your children without sacrificing the fun? Educate yourself about the laws of pool safety so that every dip ends in delight.
Q. What are the best sources of pool safety information?
A. “The best sources of pool safety information I have encountered are from the American Red Cross and the YMCA,” says Robert “Safety Bob” Emery, DrPH, vice president for Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “Both have strong pool safety programs.”
The Greater Houston Area Chapter of the American Red Cross has been teaching water safety since 1918. Parents and caregivers can find out about the 2009 Houston Parks and Recreation Learn-to-Swim program. The summer swim program introduces beginning swimmers to water safety, teaches basic water skills and improves stroke development.
The YMCA of Greater Houston has its own water safety program, YMCA Water Wise, with the purpose of creating community awareness to prevent drowning. Parents can learn about water safety tips and swim lessons. The program also offers a speakers bureau where experts deliver water safety training to community groups, and the Apartment Y Water Wise Program teaches basic swim instruction and water safety to residents at area apartment complexes.
For readers outside the Houston area, check out the YMCA and Red Cross Web sites for information in your areas.
Just because we’re already in July
doesn’t mean it's too late to start lessons.
Swim instruction continues for children by age and skill level. Information on swim classes can be found online at www.houstonredcross.org/learn-to-swim/ and www.ywaterwise.org.
Q. What’s the best age to begin teaching my child how to swim?
A. It is up to you to determine when your child is ready for swim lessons, but as a general guideline, the American Red Cross recommends starting your child in swim classes between ages 4-6 years.
However, both the American Red Cross and the YMCA offer swim lessons beginning with infants as young as 6 months. These parent and child classes focus on becoming comfortable in the water, while having fun and learning basic skills.
Q. Will learning how to swim prevent my child from drowning?
A. “The best way to stay safe in or near water is to learn how to swim,” Emery remarks. This is especially important if you own a pool. All family members, including children, should know how to swim well. “But, there’s more to water safety than simply knowing how to swim.”
Emery recommends that families always practice water safety. Follow these tips from the American Red Cross:
Q. How can parents reduce or prevent their children’s risk of drowning?
A. Never leave a child unattended or unsupervised near a pool, Emery stresses. In the time it takes a parent to run inside the house to answer a phone, a child could be in trouble. There is no grace period.
We may assume that thrashing, panicked noises will alert us to someone in danger of drowning. We assume, like in the movies, that there will be warning sounds -- splashing and screaming—and plenty of time to come to their rescue. Experts with the CPSC caution that children often drown “quickly and silently” without warning.
If you own a pool, Emery recommends following these pool safety tips from the American Red Cross to reduce the risk of accidental drowning:
Q. If a child is drowning in a pool and no lifeguard is present, what should a parent or caregiver do to rescue the child?
A. Emery advises parents to always have an emergency plan ready, especially if you own a backyard pool. Put these rescue tips to use from the American Red Cross. Make them part of your emergency plan!
Q. What hazards in and around the pool pose drowning risks to children?
A. Because children love to play, toys near the pool pose a big hazard. The American Red Cross advises parents to store toys, balls and floats away from the pool area. Keeping them out of sight and out of mind is the safest bet when the pool is not being used.
Set ground rules for the pool. For example:
Printable and downloadable water safety guides and fliers from the American Red Cross are available at www.redcross.org.
Last Updated: 7-08-2009Editorial Board | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy & Security | Contact Us
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Dr. Robert Emery is executive director of Environmental Health and Safety at the UT Health Science Center and associate professor of occupational health at the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Preparedness at the UT School of Public Health.
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Packing Bag Lunches Safely
If you pack lunches for your child to take to school, be careful that you do not accidentally expose them to foodborne illness.
Bagged lunches, especially those containing perishable foods, need to be packed and handled properly in order to keep the food safe. In general, perishable foods should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If left out too long, the temperature of the food can enter the danger zone where bacteria grow most rapidly, which is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Below are some tips to help families pack bagged lunches safely:
Before eating lunch or snacks at school, make sure your child washes his or her hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If your child's school does not have a handwashing program in place, encourage them to adopt a such a program, as handwashing is one of the best ways kids and parents can protect health and stop the spread of germs.
