Water of any depth can be a drowning hazard for children and adults alike. Photo by Josh Rouse.
With all the negatives surrounding the tragic death of Caylee Anthony and the subsequent legal proceedings, one positive that can and should be taken from it is that it has opened America's eyes and put a spotlight on water safety and the very real possibility of drowning, even in a small amount of water. This is not meant as any sort of commentary on the case, but rather a guide to help prevent accidents similar to what has been described during the case from happening.
Drowning can occur in any depth of water, even as little as 30 mm of water if lying face down in it. Parents need to stay alert with children around any sort of water, including bath tubs, sinks, toilets, pools, hot tubs, ponds, creeks, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
While it seems needless to say, even the most attentive and caring parents oftentimes can overlook the dangers of water for children and how easily a day at the pool or a fishing trip or even something as simple as a bath can go bad. Heck, when I was a kid, I even came close to drowning in a pool. However, if parents take the proper precautions, they can do a lot to prevent such events from occurring. Following are some safety tips I've gathered from www.safekids.org regarding children in and around the water. Please take a moment to read over these, even if you aren't a parent, as it may help you save a life.
Drowning can occur in any depth of water, even as little as 30 mm of water if lying face down in it. Parents need to stay alert with children around any sort of water, including bath tubs, sinks, toilets, pools, hot tubs, ponds, creeks, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
While it seems needless to say, even the most attentive and caring parents oftentimes can overlook the dangers of water for children and how easily a day at the pool or a fishing trip or even something as simple as a bath can go bad. Heck, when I was a kid, I even came close to drowning in a pool. However, if parents take the proper precautions, they can do a lot to prevent such events from occurring. Following are some safety tips I've gathered from www.safekids.org regarding children in and around the water. Please take a moment to read over these, even if you aren't a parent, as it may help you save a life.
Around the home
> Always stay within an arm’s reach of your child when he or she is in or near the bathtub, toilet, pools, spas or buckets. Never leave your child alone or in the care of older children during bath time.
> Once bath time is over, immediately drain the tub.
> Empty all buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside-down and out of children’s reach.
> Keep toilet lids closed and use toilet seat locks.
> Never leave your child unattended in a tub or around any other body of water, even if he or she knows how to swim.
> Keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.
> Children in baby bath seats and rings must be watched every second.
Open Water
Follow these tips around open water:
> Actively supervise children in and around open bodies of water, giving them your undivided attention. Appoint a designated “water watcher,” taking turns with other adults.
> Enroll your child in swimming lessons after age 4 – typically the earliest age when they are likely to practice and retain information. Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore.
> Make sure kids swim only in areas designated for swimming.
> Teach children that swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool: they need to be aware of uneven surfaces, river currents, ocean undertow and changing weather.
> Do not let kids operate personal water crafts such as jet skis. These are intended for adults and require special training.
> Teach children not to dive into oceans, lakes or rivers because you never know how deep the water is or what might be hidden under the surface of the water.
> Learn infant and child CPR and keep a phone nearby in case of an emergency.
Protect your children while boating, by following these steps:
> Always have your children wear a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard while on boats or around open bodies of water or participating in water sports. The life jacket should fit snugly and not allow the child’s chin or ears to slip through the neck opening.
> Take a boating education course that will teach safe boating practices.
> Get a vessel safety check every year for free from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadrons. For more information go to www.uscgboating.org and click “get a free safety check.”
> Never drink alcoholic beverages while boating.
Pool and Hot Tub
Prevent Entrapment:
> Pools that pose the greatest risk of entrapment are children’s public wading pools, in-ground hot tubs or any others pools that have flat drain grates and/or a single main drain system.
> Warn your children about the dangers of drain entanglement and entrapment and teach them to never play or swim near drains or suction outlets.
> Never swim in a pool or hot tub that has a broken, loose or missing drain cover.
> Install protection to prevent entrapment if you own a pool or hot tub.
> For new pools or hot tubs, install multiple drains or use a no-drain circulation system.
If you do have drains, protective measures include anti-entrapment drain covers and a safety vacuum release system to automatically release suction and shut down the pump should entrapment occur. Go to www.PoolSafety.gov for a list of manufacturers of certified covers.
You can check with your pool operator to find out whether your pool or hot tub’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act.
Prevent Drowning:
> Actively supervise your children around water at all times, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency.
> Make sure your pool has four-sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised. In addition, hot tubs should be covered and locked when not in use.
> Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both to alert you if a child wanders into the pool area unsupervised.
> From the start, teach children to never go near or in water without an adult present.
> Enroll your child in swimming lessons after age 4 – typically the earliest age when they are likely to practice and retain information. Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore.
> Learn CPR and know how to respond in water emergencies.
Also be sure to enroll your children in swimming lessons before letting them out in the water. Life jackets and "water wingies" are a great idea for children to wear while swimming, even in pools. Just because a child can touch the bottom of the pool doesn't mean they should be unattended, and they should NEVER be allowed to swim alone.
Last but not least, I know that many have strong opinions regarding the legal case and the verdict, but I would like to encourage you all to channel these feelings and instead but them to good use. Rather than posting Facebook posts about it, do something proactive. Are you upset about children being neglected? Well, do something for them. Donate $10 to the Ronald McDonald House. Still feel upset? Donate more. Rather than getting upset about the death of one child, which will ultimately do nothing except make you angry, do something to prevent many more deaths. You will feel better after doing this and, while nothing can change what has happened to poor Caylee, you can do something to help other children out.
Just an idea.
> Always stay within an arm’s reach of your child when he or she is in or near the bathtub, toilet, pools, spas or buckets. Never leave your child alone or in the care of older children during bath time.
> Once bath time is over, immediately drain the tub.
> Empty all buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside-down and out of children’s reach.
> Keep toilet lids closed and use toilet seat locks.
> Never leave your child unattended in a tub or around any other body of water, even if he or she knows how to swim.
> Keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.
> Children in baby bath seats and rings must be watched every second.
Open Water
Follow these tips around open water:
> Actively supervise children in and around open bodies of water, giving them your undivided attention. Appoint a designated “water watcher,” taking turns with other adults.
> Enroll your child in swimming lessons after age 4 – typically the earliest age when they are likely to practice and retain information. Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore.
> Make sure kids swim only in areas designated for swimming.
> Teach children that swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool: they need to be aware of uneven surfaces, river currents, ocean undertow and changing weather.
> Do not let kids operate personal water crafts such as jet skis. These are intended for adults and require special training.
> Teach children not to dive into oceans, lakes or rivers because you never know how deep the water is or what might be hidden under the surface of the water.
> Learn infant and child CPR and keep a phone nearby in case of an emergency.
Protect your children while boating, by following these steps:
> Always have your children wear a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard while on boats or around open bodies of water or participating in water sports. The life jacket should fit snugly and not allow the child’s chin or ears to slip through the neck opening.
> Take a boating education course that will teach safe boating practices.
> Get a vessel safety check every year for free from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadrons. For more information go to www.uscgboating.org and click “get a free safety check.”
> Never drink alcoholic beverages while boating.
Pool and Hot Tub
Prevent Entrapment:
> Pools that pose the greatest risk of entrapment are children’s public wading pools, in-ground hot tubs or any others pools that have flat drain grates and/or a single main drain system.
> Warn your children about the dangers of drain entanglement and entrapment and teach them to never play or swim near drains or suction outlets.
> Never swim in a pool or hot tub that has a broken, loose or missing drain cover.
> Install protection to prevent entrapment if you own a pool or hot tub.
> For new pools or hot tubs, install multiple drains or use a no-drain circulation system.
If you do have drains, protective measures include anti-entrapment drain covers and a safety vacuum release system to automatically release suction and shut down the pump should entrapment occur. Go to www.PoolSafety.gov for a list of manufacturers of certified covers.
You can check with your pool operator to find out whether your pool or hot tub’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act.
Prevent Drowning:
> Actively supervise your children around water at all times, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency.
> Make sure your pool has four-sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised. In addition, hot tubs should be covered and locked when not in use.
> Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both to alert you if a child wanders into the pool area unsupervised.
> From the start, teach children to never go near or in water without an adult present.
> Enroll your child in swimming lessons after age 4 – typically the earliest age when they are likely to practice and retain information. Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore.
> Learn CPR and know how to respond in water emergencies.
Also be sure to enroll your children in swimming lessons before letting them out in the water. Life jackets and "water wingies" are a great idea for children to wear while swimming, even in pools. Just because a child can touch the bottom of the pool doesn't mean they should be unattended, and they should NEVER be allowed to swim alone.
Last but not least, I know that many have strong opinions regarding the legal case and the verdict, but I would like to encourage you all to channel these feelings and instead but them to good use. Rather than posting Facebook posts about it, do something proactive. Are you upset about children being neglected? Well, do something for them. Donate $10 to the Ronald McDonald House. Still feel upset? Donate more. Rather than getting upset about the death of one child, which will ultimately do nothing except make you angry, do something to prevent many more deaths. You will feel better after doing this and, while nothing can change what has happened to poor Caylee, you can do something to help other children out.
Just an idea.
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