How to Ensure Good Pool Safety for your Kids

Guest Blogger #697, Entry #1639, September 25, 2012

Do you always feel anxious every time your kids go to the pool to swim? Most parents do! Swimming accidents happen very fast, and according to experts, death from drowning can occur 2 minutes after a child’s head goes under water.

But there’s really no need to be paranoid. There are things that can be done to make swimming for the children much safer. Below are some pool safety tips for parents, guardians, and children to observe and follow.

Ensure your kids are safe around the pool

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Tip #1 Always Have an Adult Around

It is essential that an adult is always present when children go swimming in the pool. Adult supervision is important for many reasons. For one, children play while swimming. They push, they shove, they jump, they shout – and sometimes, they become rowdy and unmanageable. An adult can help call their attention and remind them to behave well. Adults are also important in times of emergency.

Tip #2 Always Follow Pool Rules

Pools have rules that swimmers need to follow for safety reasons. For example, some pools do not allow diving because the pool is not deep enough. Diving in a pool that is shallow is very dangerous a person may accidentally hit the hard bottom of the pool. This can cause damage to the neck or the head, and can even cause death in extreme cases. Some pools allow swimmers to dive but only in designated areas to make sure that no accidents can occur.

So when you are using a public pool, always look for the board where the pool rules are written and read it carefully. If you’re swimming in a private pool, ask the owners how deep the pool is, and ask if they have set rules that you and your children need to observe. Always remember this: safety first!

Tip #3 Avoid Using Floaters in the Pool

Children love “floaters” or “floaties” – they are nice to look at, they come in different colors, and they usually come in many different shapes and sizes. Most kids love to have them when swimming because they help keep a child afloat. However, floaters are not designed as life vests or safety devices – they are simply toys. There is danger when using “floaties” or “floaters” because the children may actually think that they are safe as long as they have the floaters on them, which is not entirely correct. Anytime these floaters may deflate, and when unnoticed, the children wearing them may slowly sink in the pool and may be at risk of drowning. Always watch your kid around water even with floaties on.

Create a safe area for your kids at pool time

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Tip #4 Avoid Pool Drains

Pool drains may look harmless, but they are not. They can actually cause injuries to very small children, so stay away from them.  The suction on some of them is strong enough to hold a child underwater so make sure your drains are covered.

Tip #5 No Eating While Swimming

Parents and guardians are advised not to allow children to eat while swimming. This is because of the danger of choking while swimming. Let the children eat before or after they get into the pool just to be safe.

If you follow these helpful tips you can make the summer months fun filled for both you and your children around the pool.

Joffrey Drummond is a sought after writer for AccessRx.com, specializing in health/fitness, medical technology, and online marketing. He currently resides in Phoenix, AZ, with his dog Ralph and you can connect with Joffrey via his LinkedIn here.

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