Water safety
Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board
In this article
Children love to play in and around water, but no matter where you find it – in a bucket, bowl, toilet, tub, sink, puddle, or pool – water is dangerous. And although you've probably heard this more than once, it's worth repeating: A child can drown in less than an inch of water.
To help protect your child from accidental drowning, make sure his outdoor play area doesn't have even a small source of water. If your child is intentionally playing around water (like at a park with an area for water play), don't take your eyes off him for a minute.
And at a pool or the beach, it's fine to let him splash and play to his heart's content – as long as you supervise and stay close.
How can I keep my child safe in the pool or at a lake?
- Be prepared and take a child CPR course.
- Have your child wear a personal flotation device (PFD) that fits properly and is approved by the U.S Coast Guard. Never rely on inflatable toys (like water wings) to keep your child safe in water.
- Before you decide to swim at a public pool or lake, make sure it has lifeguards on duty, is equipped with rescue equipment in good condition, and has a readily accessible phone for emergencies. Take your cell phone along with you too.
- If you're swimming in your home pool, bring your cordless phone outside so you won't be tempted to run into the house to answer a call.
- At home, remove toys from the water and deck of your pool so they don't entice your child to play in or around the pool when you're not looking.
- If you have a permanent pool, make sure it's completely enclosed with a fence that's at least 4 feet high. It should also have a self-closing, self-latching gate that opens away from pool. Always lock the gate after each use, and make sure there's nothing your child can climb on to get over the pool's fence.
- For home pools and spas, make sure the drain has an anti-entrapment cover or other drain safety system, such as an automatic pump shut-off. Pool drains have been named one of the top five hidden home hazards by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The suction from a pool drain can be strong enough to hold even an adult underwater, pulling on the hair or on the body and forming a seal. Missing or faulty covers often cause the problem, and an upgrade may save a life.
- Drain inflatable or plastic wading pools after each use, and store in an upright position.
Should my child take swimming lessons?
The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that a couple of small studies have found that swimming lessons for children ages 1 to 4 may lower the risk of drowning. But swimming lessons aren't a reliable way to protect your child (and they aren't recommended for children younger than 1). There's simply no substitute for adult supervision when it comes to pool safety.
And some kids may not be developmentally ready for swim lessons until they are at least 4 years old. Whether swimming lessons are right for your child depends on how often he's around water and his physical abilities.
If you decide to enroll your child in a swimming class, find a program that follows the national YMCA guidelines for swim instruction. Among other things, these guidelines advise instructors not to submerge young children and encourage parents to participate in lessons.
And as soon as you start bringing your child to the pool or lake, begin teaching simple water safety rules including:
- Don't go near water without an adult.
- Never dunk another child.
- Don't run on the pool deck or boat dock.
- Always jump in feet first.
Teaching water safety early makes sure your child is familiar with the basics of water safety as he gets older and learns to swim.
What should I do if my child slips underwater?
Whenever your child is in the water, it's extremely important not to leave him unattended, even for a second. If he slips under for a moment while playing in the pool, he'll probably come up coughing and sputtering.
But if he's been underwater for longer than that, you'll need to move calmly and quickly. Follow these steps:
- Lift your child out of the water.
- Gently tap or shake your child to see if he responds. If he's unresponsive, isn't breathing, or has no pulse, immediately start child CPR.
- If someone is nearby, shout for help and tell them to call 911.
- Don't stop doing CPR until your child begins breathing on his own again or until emergency personnel arrive.
- If your child has come close to drowning, immediately take him to the emergency room for a complete medical evaluation. Even if he appears fine, he may have inhaled water and stopped breathing, which could cause lung or nervous system damage.
Although it's unlikely you'll ever need to do CPR on your child, it's wise to learn how to do it, just in case. For more information, see our illustrated guide to CPR.
Thanks for coming by and check back for more updates.
Andrew M. Geeza
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