Swimming Pool Safety Tips
At Ambajam, babies are our business and that is by choice. While our business does revolve around baby clothing and trendy baby styles, we also feel strongly about sharing information that may benefit kids in general in and outside of our Ambajam community. With summer just around the corner many of our little ones will be spending time either in the pool or around one. With that in mind, we thought it’d be a good time to discuss some safety tips that parents can keep in mind as the temperatures heat up.
10 Tips to Swimming Pool Safety
- If your child is missing, check the pool first. If the unthinkable has happened every second counts.
- If you’re little one already knows how to swim they should still always be supervised. Knowing how to swim doesn’t prevent accidents from happening.
- Pool Alarms. These can be used as an added safety feature and they are made for doors and for underwater.
- Are there empty homes on your street? Do they have swimming pools? This can be very dangerous even if the pool is empty. If you aren’t sure if there is a pool, try using Google maps (satellite view) to check out your neighborhood. An empty home with a pool can be a hazard that is easily prevented by a phone call to the owner or real estate agent. Simply ask them to please place a lock on the side gate to prevent the possibility of a child wandering back there.
- Long hair and limbs can get caught in pool drains creating a risk for your young swimmers. Make sure that no pool drains are broken or missing. Even better, if your child has long hair, pin it up to prevent accidental suction. Know where your circuit breaker is for the pool/spa and label it clearly in the event it needs to be shut off during an emergency.
- Have your child wear an approved safety device at all times while you are around the pool. Arm floaties can easily slip off when a child jumps in. A flotation device that is snug and goes around the torso is a better option.
- Identify other areas besides pools that pose a threat. Things like small wading pools or plastic tubs can be enough to compromise the safety of your child.
- If you have a play date, ask if the child knows how to swim. If the answer is no, take extra precaution to lock all doors leading to the pool. If you are taking your child to a play date ask if there is a pool.
- If you are going to a park, find out if there is a pool and know where it is. Make sure that there isn’t a way that your child can get in to the area.
- Pool fences should go around the entire pool and be at least 4 feet tall. There should be a secure latch and/or lock if your child can reach the opening.
Over 250 children under the age of 5 years old die every year due to a swimming pool drowning. An additional 2,600 are taken to emergency rooms for treatment related to water submersion and some of these result in permanent brain damage. While some of these tips are obvious, sometimes re-visiting the topic occasionally will increase awareness and make parents a bit more alert.
Additional Resources
Consumer Product Safety Alert
Consumer Product Safety Commission : Backyard Pool
Consumer Product Safety Commission: Pool Spa Entrapment Injuries
Water safety tips for preschoolers at Type-A Mom
