WATER SAFETY: Tips for Parents of Young Children

Information is provided by healthychildren.org 

Water is one of the most ominous hazards your child will encounter.  Young children can drown in only a few inches of water, even if they've had swimming instruction. 

Whenever Your Child Is Near Water, Follow These Safety Rules:

• Be aware of small bodies of water your child might encounter, such as bathtubs, fishponds, ditches, fountains, and rain barrels. 
• Children who are swimming - even in s a shallow toddler pool - always should be watched by an adult, preferably one who knows CPR. 
• Enforce safety rules:  No running near the pool and no pushing others underwater.
• Don't allow your child to use inflatable toys or mattresses in place of a life jacket. 
• Be sure the deep and shallow ends of any pool your child swims in are clearly marked.  
• Backyards swimming pools, (including large, inflatable above -ground pools), should be completely surrounded with at least a 4 foot high fence that completely separates the pool from the house. 
• If your pool has a cover, remove it completely before swimming.
• Keep a safety ring with a rope beside the pool at all times. 
• Spas and hot tubs are dangerous for young children who can easily drown or become overheated in them.  
• Your child should always wear a life jacket when he swims or rides in a boat. 
• Adults should not drink alcohol when they are swimming.  It presents a danger for them as well as for any children they might be supervising.
• Be sure to eliminate distractions while children are in the water.  Talking on the phone, working on the computer, and other tasks need to wait until chilldren are out of the water.