Drowning looks nothing like it does in the movies. Trust me, I know.
Back in 2002, my husband and I were standing poolside when our 15-month-old son suddenly darted past us and headed straight for the pool’s edge. In the blink of an eye, he flew into the water and sank to the bottom of the deep end.
We were so lucky to be standing there when it happened, and to be able to respond in time. Not all parents are that fortunate. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 5 people who die from drowning
are children below the age of 14. And for all children ages 1 to 14 years old, drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental injury or death.
There are a lot of misconceptions out there about kids’ water safety that could prove deadly in the end. Here are the 5 most common ones you should be aware of, along with suggestions for how to keep your kids safer in the water:
1) “My Kid’s Not Old Enough to Take Swim Lessons Yet”
Although 15 months seems young, I found out that my son was actually old enough to start swim lessons back then. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to get their kids in swim lessons as early as age 1, since research shows
that it can help prevent drowning among young children. It’s incredibly important for them have a healthy dose of water fear — and a safety float.
What You Can Do:
Enroll your kid in a swim class. As he makes progress, ask his swim instructors for an assessment of his skill level and whether they think he should continue classes.
2) “My Kids Can Swim. They Don’t Need Pool Supervision”
Don’t ever assume your child’s safe simply because she can swim. When my daughter was nine, we stopped at a swimming hole after a hike. I juggled chatting with my friends and keeping an eye on her as she swam further and further away. Later, she told me she’d gotten tired paddling about, and could barely push herself to the surface when a friend playfully pushed her head underwater. I was standing right there…and I missed the whole thing.
What You Can Do:
If there’s more than one parent around, establish supervision shifts that you rotate during the day. Or hire a lifeguard. Kids also need to make sure they know to float on their back if they are tired. “Unless there’s a designated person whose job is to watch those kids, they’re not safe,” says Dr. Sarah Denny of
Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH.
3) “The Bath Tub Isn’t Big. She’ll Be Fine for a Minute”
According to the Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission,
breaks in bath time supervision — like leaving to answer the door or get a towel — were responsible for 28 percent of in-house childhood drowning incidents between 2006 and 2010. This is especially true for toddlers, who don’t yet know what to do when they’re in trouble.
What You Can Do:
Have all your bath time essentials ready before your kid even hits the water: towels, shampoo, soap, etc. And definitely ignore that doorbell and/or phone if you forgot it.
4) “If He Were Drowning, I’d Hear It”
Drowning is silent. “The reason is simple,” explains Dr. Linda Quan
of Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, WA. “You’re trying to breathe and you’re going underwater, so you can’t shout.” But the younger the kid, the more likely he is to go down like a stone.
What You Can Do:
If you have your eyes on him, you’re far more likely to see the red flags that he’s in trouble and act before the situation escalates. And never assume someone else is watching your child — or the pool, for that matter. Large parties are often the times when young children get into trouble the most.
5) “If I See a Kid Drowning, I’ll Just Jump in”
Calling 911 should be your first — but not only — step when someone’s drowning. The paramedics won’t arrive in time, but diving in yourself could compound the problem — and put your own safety at risk. “We do see parents who drown trying to rescue a child,” confirms Dr. Quan.
What You Can Do:
There should always be at least one adult in the water with kids to supervise and swoop in as necessary. If no one’s around when a child’s drowning, throw her something to grab and float on. It could be a life jacket, water cooler, empty plastic jug or a long stick that you hold onto from land. Remember that toddlers won’t be able to do this, so it’s crucial that an adult is in the water with them at all times.
Ultimately, prevention is key. The reason our son ended up in the water in the first place, that day back in ’02, was because someone left the sliding door open to the backyard. In addition to keeping the necessary doors latched, consider investing in four-sided pool fencing. This has been proven to prevent a large number of childhood drownings. Just make sure that you keep the pool gate shut at all times, and clear the area of any toys that could tempt your kids to enter it unsupervised. These preventative measures will take extra time to do, but your kiddos’ safety is worth it.
