Swimming Safety

Swimming is the fourth most popular activity in the United States, offering an all in one opportunity to keep fit, relax, gently rehabilitate and have fun. However, with May being Drowning Prevention Month, it is a reminder of the importance of pool safety and vigilance around children. Being around swimming pools and learning how to swim can be an overwhelming experience for small children. Therefore, taking steps to ensure that appropriate pool safety measures are taken and features are installed will help create an environment that fosters children’s safety while also satisfying peace of mind in parents and teachers alike.

Pool safety features and rules

According to the CDC, of deaths in America from drowning, one in five of those is a child under the age of fifteen. In order to keep your kids safe from drowning, there are various features that can be installed to coincide with constant adult supervision. Children between the age of 1 to 4 years old are at the highest risk of accidental drowning and according to retired Coast Guard Commander David Smith, it can take a mere 20 seconds for a child to get into serious trouble in the water. Therefore, good advice would be to install layers of protection to avoid injury or tragedy, which focus on preventing a child’s access to the pool by themselves or notifying adults if they have accessed the pool area.

One suggestion is to surround the pool with a fence that is at least 4 feet tall. In addition, the fence ought to have self-closing and self-latching gates, with the latches kept out of small children’s reach. Since no individual safety measure can ever be foolproof, as a further layer of protection, consider installing an alarm on the door of the pool.

It’s more than just staying afloat

Like with most things in life, learning something as a child is often easier than trying to pick it up as an adult with lack of time, the element of fear and persistence all playing a part. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends lessons for children from the age of 4 years old. Having the ability to swim and learning floating techniques improve confidence when in the pool and instill a sense of calm control as opposed to blind panic, which can cause hyperventilation and increase the chance of drowning. Swimming lessons for children are not only beneficial in teaching them the skill of swimming but also develop safe behaviors and attitudes around the water. Understanding that the pool area is a fun, safe place but respecting the fact that common sense and caution are also of utmost importance for the safety of themselves and their peers is paramount.

Swimming pool safety for children needs to be considered from various angles. While adult supervision is necessary, it should not be exclusively relied upon. Teaching children how to swim from a young age as well as the lessons that surround attitude and behavior towards water is a priority. Further to that, researching the various safety features that can be installed all contribute to ensuring safety and preventing injury or fatality.