How Can I Keep My Child Safe Around Water?

From Florida Hospital - Apopka

Because drowning is the leading cause of death from injury for toddlers in Florida, Stacey McConkey, MD, pediatrician, offers the following tips to prevent water tragedies:

1. Always supervise children in and around water.

2. Install four-sided, five-foot- high fencing with a self-closing, self-latching gate around pools and spas to prevent direct access from the house.

3. Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Personal Floatation Device (PFD) when on a boat.

4. Never leave a young child alone or with a sibling in the bathtub, not even to answer the phone or to get a towel. If you must leave, take the child with you.

5. Although they can’t “drown-proof” a child, swimming lessons are a must.

6. Never swim in unguarded areas, such as canals or ponds.

7. Learn CPR and know how to reach your Emergency Medical Service; keep a phone outside near pools and have emergency numbers posted.

Children should follow 4 rules for swimming:

1. Swim with a buddy, never alone.
2. Don’t dive or jump into bodies of water; always wade in first.
3. Don’t push or jump on top of others.
4. Be prepared for an emergency.

   ​“Swimming pools are where most submersion injuries occur, but small children can drown in less than an inch of water – in a matter of seconds – making even ‘kiddy pools,’ bathtubs, buckets and toilets potential hazards,” says Dr. McConkey. “By simply taking a few simple safety precautions, parents can significantly reduce their child’s chance of drowning.”

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