Water Safety

Statistics

In 18 states, drowning ranks as the leading cause of accidental death among young children. Nationally it ranks second. Each year, an additional 4,200 children are treated for submersion injuries at emergency rooms throughout the country. For every child who drowns, another five are hospitalized and another 16 are treated for submersion injuries. More than 75% of victims had been missing for less than five minutes. More than half of all drowning tragedies occur during the summer months.

Swim Lessons Do Not Make a Child Drown-Proof

Safeguard Your Child

Never leave a child near any body of water, not even for a second. Set firm rules for all water-related activities. "Tough Love" may save your child's life.

Teach children how to handle themselves in the water BEFORE encouraging them to play in it. Swim lessons that include survival skills provide an extra layer of protection.

Stay in touch! Keep all children who can't swim within arms reach when water is nearby. Learn CPR and rescue techniques. Keep a telephone and emergency numbers close.

Floatation devices such as armbands, flotation rings and inflatable toys give parents a false sense of security. These devices can shift suddenly, deflate or slip from underneath, leaving the child in a very dangerous situation.

Eliminate distractions. The leading cause of distraction around the pool is an adult leaving to answer the phone. If you must leave, take the children with you.

"DROWNING is usually QUICK and SILENT"

Teach Safety

• Never swim alone.
• Obey lifeguard warnings.
• Walk! Do not run around decks. Wet surfaces are slippery.
• Do not swim during bad weather or storms. Seek shelter. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you.
• Always wear a life jacket when boating, fishing or playing in or near deep or fast moving water.
• Don't cry for help unless there is an emergency.
• Read all posted safety rules and warning signs.
• Watch for dangerous currents or marine life.
• Never try to save someone in trouble. Call for help or throw something in that floats to them.
• Take frequent breaks.
• Know your limits.

A child can drown in as little as one inch of water.
Loss of consciousness occurs 2 minutes after submersion.
Permanent brain damage occurs within 4-6 minutes.

Supervision

Maintain constant, eyes-on uninterrupted supervision. Never leave a child alone near a body of water, not even for a second. An alarming 88% of young drowning victims were under some form of supervision at the time of the incident and 46% were under the care of both parents.

Basic CPR & First Aid courses are available for parents and other caregivers through the local American Heart Association and American Red Cross. If an emergency should occur, often you are the first person able to respond.

Don't designate supervision to an older child or sibling. It is too much responsibility. Many children have drowned with their older brother or sister in the pool.

Do not rely on the lifeguard to watch your child. Lifeguards are there to enforce the rules. They can't watch everything.

Instruct babysitters about potential water-related hazards and the need for constant supervision. Never assume someone else is watching your child YOU are the one who MUST watch the child.

86% of children who fall into water are wearing all of their clothes.

Safeguard Your Pool

Your child should never be able to access the pool alone.

Pool safety is important in the prevention of tragedies. Build layers of defense around the pool. Children under four are most likely to drown in swimming pools (44%). Submersion incidents usually happen in a pool owned by the child's family (65%) or by friends or relatives (33%).

Permanent four-sided fencing that encloses the entire pool area should be 4-6 feet in height and equipped with self-closing, self-latching gates. Vertical bars should be no more than four inches apart. The risk of drowning DOUBLES when barriers are reduced to three sides.

Remove ALL toys from the pool when it is not in use. These colorful objects can be very attractive to little eyes. Do not leave furniture or other objects in the pool area that would allow children to climb over the fence.

Install high locks and alarms on ALL doors and windows that lead to the pool, including utility and pet doors.

Position jets so floating objects flow to the shallow end near the steps or ladder.

Never leave a child near any body of water.

It only takes a moment for a child to slip beneath the surface.

Diving Safety

Diving injuries can be among the most physically debilitating.

Teens are more likely than any other age group to suffer diving injuries, many of which can result in permanent spinal cord damage or death. Only dive in areas that are known to be safe for diving, such as the deep end of a supervised pool.

Always dive with your hands in front of you and steer up immediately upon entering the water to avoid hitting the bottom.

A "No Diving" sign means the water isn't safe for head-first entry. Even if you plan to jump in feet first, check the water's depth before you leap to make sure there are no hidden rocks or other hazards.

Boating Safety

A reported 55% of children under 14 who drowned in boating accidents were not wearing life jackets. 85% of all boating-related drowning could have been prevented if the victims had been wearing a life jacket.

Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFDs) around oceans, rivers, lakes or when participating in water sports.

Recreational boats must carry one appropriately sized PFD for each person on board.

Take refresher courses in boating and water safety. Stay updated on current rules and regulations. Obey no-wake and speed zones.

Beach Safety

Teach kids to swim. Safe Kids Worldwide recommends children learn to float and stay by the shore.

Check surf conditions before entering the water. Often they are posted at the beach access point. Lifeguards can also advise of any dangerous conditions.

If your child is caught in a rip current, instruct them not to panic and swim parallel to the shore until the current releases them. This will reduce the chances of becoming exhausted from fighting the current.

Staying in a lifeguard-supervised area will increase the chances of receiving help by trained professionals.

Sun Protection

• Apply a minimum SPF 15 sunscreen 30 minutes before going out into the sun. Reapply every 45 minutes.
• A hat and UV-protection sunglasses are essential.
• Drink plenty of water or sports drinks. Sodas do not quench thirst but contribute to dehydration.
• The sun's rays are strongest between 10am and 2pm.

Comparing Swimming Programs

Selecting a good swimming program and instructor is key. Choose a program that will teach your child the skills to handle him/herself in the water.

Beware of programs that promote only water acclimation. If your child learns to love the water before he/she has the skills to help him/herself the risk of an aquatic accident can actually increase. When children are confident in their skill, love of the water will inevitably follow.

Check the instructor's teaching qualification. There are currently no laws governing licensing of swimming instructors. They should also have a current CPR and First Aid certification. Confirm that the instructor is certified to teach survival-swimming skills.

Since 86% of children who fall into the pool are fully clothed, children should have some experiences with this scenario. Swimming in clothes and shoes is a significantly different situation than swimming in a bathing suit. Ensure your child's instructor will practice with him/her.

Children should not learn to swim in water that is warmer than 88 degrees. This causes dehydration. Swimming in warm water can also make movements less effective while learning to swim.

"it's not just about swimming...it's about surviving".

What is Infant Swimming Resource?

Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) is a nationally recognized system of aquatic survival instruction for infants and young children. The program focuses on educating parents and children about aquatic survival and safety issues.

ISR is the world's most comprehensive and efficient drowning prevention strategy for infants and young children. This is accomplished through effective education of everyone who can prevent the next baby from drowning...the pediatricians, the parents and particularly the baby.

The ISR program is the product of more than 40 years of research and development by Dr. Harvey Barnett. More than 144,00 infants and young children have gone through the ISR program with more than 5.2 million safe and effective lessons.

Each ISR lesson is one-on-one with the Instructor and is individualized for each child's needs and abilities. Lessons are 5 days per week, Monday - Friday for approximately 10 minutes in length for efficiency and retention.

Infants from 6 months to 12 months learn how to hold their breath underwater, roll onto their back and float unassisted until someone rescues them. Children over the age of 1 year, learn how to hold their breath underwater, swim with their head down, roll onto their back to float, rest and breathe; then roll back over to resume swimming until they reach the side of the pool and crawl out. This is called the ISR swim-float-swim sequence. All children will learn how to perform the skills in different types of clothing. This is usually accomplished in 4 - 6 weeks.

Statistics courtesy of the National Safe Kids Campaign...Clear Danger;
A National Study of Childhood Drowning and Related Attitude and Behaviors.

All Photos © ISR, LLC 2008