Summer is nearly here and children may be eager to jump into the pool. Whether it is a community pool or a backyard pool, there are many safety guidelines that can help children of all ages have a safe swimming experience.
The Academy of Pediatrics states, 'Never leave your children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.'
There are swimming classes geared for infants and babies, accompanied by their parent, but these classes are for enjoyment, and these young children are not really expected to learn to swim in the class. A study performed by the American Academy of Pediatrics said no child under the age of 3 years old should be expected to swim.
No One under Three Can Swim
However, children 3 years old and younger can still experience the joy of cool water on a hot day. There are numerous baby water pools on the market. These pools are designed for young children and have very low water depth.
Over the years, baby pools have transformed from the simple plastic circle to a miniature water park for our little ones. There are little water fountains, inflatable palm trees, but the best feature(for safety reasons), is the baby pools that are made with a roof, which really helps block any harmful UV rays from reaching babies' skin. An adult should accompany a baby in a baby pool, especially if the infant is still too young to sit.
If you plan on taking your little ones for a swim in the backyard pool or a community pool, there are some precautions to take. Check to see if the pool has any missing or broken main drain covers, if so, do not allow anyone to swim in the pool since swimmers risk getting entrapped. Also, check to see if the pool is regularly and properly maintained, since pathogenic human viruses and bacteria can spread in swimming pools.
If the child is only a newborn or young infant, the American Academy of Pediatrics states in its report: "Incontinent infants pose an aesthetic problem and make it difficult to maintain the effectiveness of chlorination." Meaning young children who are not yet capable of controlling when they go to the bathroom, may excrete in the pool, making the chlorine ineffective.
Once the pool has met the standards on cleanliness and maintenance, next there is the choice of safety floatation device to put on your youngster. Floatation devices do not replace adult supervision, but they can provide additional safety along with adult supervision. For young babies, an ideal choice is the round float with a seat right in the middle for the baby to sit in. If the child is already walking, a better choice would be floatation device that the child can also wear out of the pool. This will give extra safety to the child out of the pool, around the pool, or in the pool.
There are arm floatation bands, life jackets, and swimming suits with built in floatation. The swimming suits with built in floatation are a good choice if your child knows how to zip and unzip zippers, forget the life jacket. Or if your child would like to freely move his arms, nix the arm bands.
Never Take Your Eyes off the Child
It is necessary for an adult to accompany a baby or toddler in and out of the pool and never take their eyes off the child; a child can drown in the time it takes to answer a phone. Children of this age group should stay in the pool no longer than 30 minutes so as to not take in small amounts of water over a long period of time. One case was reported to the American Academy of Pediatrics in which an infant and mother attended a 60 minute swimming class. During the class, the infant was healthy. However, after the class, the infant became ill. This was caused by repeatedly taking in small amounts of water during the hour of being in the water.
According to the American Red Cross the number 1 safety tip for children and adults is: learn to swim. At the age of 3, children are ready to begin to learn how to swim. This is the age when swimming classes can help the child learn to swim. At this age, the safety guidelines are pretty much the same for infants and toddlers, except that your child can start learning to swim to eventually become an independent swimmer in the future.
For children that are older and know how to swim it is good to set some 'pool rules'. Public pools usually have a set of pool rules posted on a sign for everyone to read. Some residential pools may also have posted rules. First, read over these rules with your child. If necessary add additional pool rules, such as "no running, no pushing, no dunking and never swim alone."
If the child is a less experienced swimmer, tell them that they may only go to where the water is at their waist level. This summer parents, supervisors, or children may even consider taking a CPR class. The American Red Cross offers classes that are around 4 hours and cost little. Parents may teach their children what they learned in CPR class and this can help the child understand the importance of pool safety.
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