Summer Safety: Children & Swimming Pools
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), drowning is the number one cause of death in children ages 1-4 after congenital disabilities. With the summer months upon us, the AAP has several recommendations for parents to keep their children safe around swimming pools.
Fences are the most effective, proven way to prevent drowning of young children. If a family has a home swimming pool or is considering installing a pool or purchasing a home with one, the AAP recommends ensuring the pool is safely fenced in. The fence should be completely enclosed on all four sides and at least four feet high. The fence should have no footholds or handholds for small children to climb. The slat space should be small enough that children cannot slip through, and the gate should be self-closing and self-latching, with a latch high enough to be out of reach of small children.
A pool alarm should never be a replacement for a pool fence, but alarms do add an extra layer of protection for swimming pools. The AAP recommends installing window guards in the home, installing alarms on all gates that lead to the pool, and even alarming the pool itself (when activated, pool alarms detect splashing.)
Pool covers should cover the entire pool securely enough that a child cannot slip under them. Children can drown in less than two inches of water, so parents must ensure no standing water collects at the top of the cover. Power-operated covers are often the safest and easiest to use. Floating covers make the pool surface appear solid to a small child and thus are not recommended as they can increase the risk of drowning.
When spending time with family or friends near a home swimming pool or when visiting a swimming pool at another location, the AAP offers several additional recommendations for keeping children safe. Family and friends should take turns being the “water watcher.” This will be an adult whose sole job is to keep an eye on small children near the pool area. This adult should not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, should avoid engaging in all other activities, including checking their cell phone, and should supervise even if a lifeguard is present.
The AAP also recommends that small children wear life jackets when near a swimming pool or another body of water and that children participate in consistent swim lessons throughout their childhood. The AAP further recommends that parents and caregivers learn CPR and that pool owners keep pool safety equipment, such as life preservers and life jackets, easily accessible poolside.