Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Water safety tips for summer

Summer is approaching and the pools are opening. Parents need to be aware that 62 percent of drownings occur between the months of May and August. A common misconception is that a drowning child will splash, scream and cry out. However, drowning usually occurs quickly and silently. Children need constant adult supervision around water.

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death of children age 14 and under, taking the lives of nearly 1,000 children each year. Most drownings and near drownings occur in swimming pools, but older children are more likely to drown in open water sites, such as lakes, rivers and oceans. However, pools and large bodies of water are not the only safety concern. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water in as short a time as 10 seconds. This puts them at risk of drowning in wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, toilets, spas and hot tubs. Typically, 40 percent of drownings occur on the weekend.

Laws and regulations have been designed to help parents protect their children from drowning. For example, Georgia law requires children under 10 that are on board boats or personal watercraft to wear a size-appropriate personal flotation device. Carol Ball, with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and SAFE KIDS of Georgia, offers these tips to parents to help keep their family safe in and around the water:

• Never leave children unsupervised in or around a swimming pool. Children in baby bath seats and rings must be watched and be within arm’s reach at all times. When a group of parents accompany their children to the pool, at least one parent should be the designated “watch person” at all times.

• It takes only two minutes following submersion for a child to lose consciousness. Irreversible brain damage occurs after four to six minutes and determines the immediate and long-term survival of a child.

• Be aware of which of your child’s friends and neighbors have pools. Make sure your child will be constantly supervised by an adult while visiting.

• Make sure that children always swim with a buddy. Swimming alone can be extremely dangerous.

• Tell children never to run, push or jump on others around water.

• Eliminate all potential hazards such as empty buckets, containers and wading pools. Keep toilet lids shut and use toilet locks.

• Install four-sided fencing at least five feet high that completely surrounds all pools, spas, whirlpools and hot tubs. Make sure the fence is equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates.

• Install multiple drains to minimize suction of any one drain and reduce risk of death and injury. Always pin up long hair because it can be sucked into the drains.

• Regularly check that pool drain covers are secure and have no cracks. Know where the manual cut-off switch is in case of emergency.

• Keep rescue equipment, a telephone and emergency numbers by the pool. Pool alarms and covers can offer extra protection but should not be relied on alone.

• Make sure children swim only in designated safe areas of rivers, lakes and oceans, and never leave them unsupervised.

• Outfit all children in a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal safety device around oceans, rivers, lakes or when participating in water sports. “Water wings” or inflatable tubes do not replace life jackets.

• Teach children to never dive into water less than nine feet deep.

• Never allow children age 14 and under to operate a personal watercraft.

• Adults and children over age 13 should learn infant and child CPR.

• If someone falls into the water and is in trouble, do not go after him. Instead, throw him a life ring or life jacket, call out for help and use a stick, paddle or other object to reach out to him.

For more information on water safety, call Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at 404-250-kids, or visit www.choa.org.