It’s that time of year again…time for pool parties and beach days and lots of fun in the sun! While summer is a blast for babies and toddlers, it also poses new threats. Be sure to keep your babies and toddlers safe in AND around water this summer by following these 7 water-safety tips from the experts at Infant Swimming Resource.
CEO (Constant Eyes-On) Supervision – Never turn your back on your child around water. It takes just seconds for him/her to be in serious trouble. Assign supervision responsibilities so there are never questions about which adult is responsible for watching the child.
Safeguard Your Pool – Build layers of defense around the pool. Permanent four-sided fencing that encloses the entire pool area should be four to six feet high and equipped with self-closing, self-latching gates.
Put Toys Away – Remove all toys from the pool when they are not in use. These colorful objects can be very attractive to little eyes. This also includes furniture and other objects in the pool area that children might use to climb over the fence.
Eliminate Distractions – The leading cause of distractions around the pool is an adult leaving to answer the phone, attend to something inside the home or helping someone else in or around the water. If you must leave, take the child/children with you.
Teach Water Safety – Learn and enforce all the water rules and, above all, teach by your example—never swim alone, obey lifeguard warnings, refrain from running around pool decks, follow ‘no diving’ signs, and always wear a life jacket when boating, fishing or playing in or near deep or fast-moving water.
Flotation Device Dangers – Flotation devices such as armbands, floatation rings and inflatable toys give parents and children a false sense of security. These devices can shift suddenly, deflate or slip from underneath, leaving a child in a very dangerous situation.
Self-Rescue Swimming Lessons – Do your research in selecting an effective swimming program. Choose a program that will teach your child the skills to survive in the water. Self-Rescue skills are vital for infants and young children if they were to end up in the water alone. Instructors should have current CPR and first aid certification. Confirm that the instructor is certified to teach survival swimming skills.
About the Infant Swimming Resource:
Founded in 1966, Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) is nationally recognized as the safest provider of survival swimming lessons for children six months to six years of age. With a passionate focus on baby swimming safety, and as the nation’s only behaviorally-based swim instruction program, ISR designed its program for parents who are dedicated to their child’s safety, education and developmental needs.
Our emphasis on ensuring that not one more child drowns is founded on Dr. Harvey Barnett’s Self-Rescue training, proven to help young children survive in a drowning scenario. ISR’s nationwide network of highly qualified, certified Instructors has successfully trained more than 200,000 babies and toddlers and delivered more than seven million lessons with a 100 percent safety and survival rate, with zero injuries and 790 documented cases of a child’s Self-Rescue using ISR techniques. For more information on ISR, water and swim safety or to find an instructor in your area, please visit www.infantswim.com.
Prevent drowning with these 7 expert tips.
