As outside temperatures soar, there are few things that can bring that magical gleam of delight to a child's face like a swimsuit and a pool to splash around in. But no adults with young ones in their lives want this innocent, cooling recreation to end tragically for their little friends and loved ones. Nevertheless, every year in the United States, 300 kids age 5 or younger drown in swimming pools and 2,000 in that age range are taken to emergency rooms with pool submersion injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. Here are some things that child safety experts want you to know about keeping kids safe when they're swimming:
- When a child drowns in a residential pool, most of the time it happened when the child wandered out of the house and fell into the pool. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that homeowners install a fence at least 4 feet high around all four sides of any outdoor pool.
- Use gates with self-closing latches that are higher than children in the house can reach. Never leave such gates propped open. The fence should separate the pool from the house and from play areas in the yard. Also erect such barriers around any hot tubs or spas outside your house.
- Never leave children unsupervised in a swimming pool, even momentarily. This still applies to children that have taken swimming lessons and know how to swim.
- If you are contemplating installing a pool in your yard, put it off until the children in your home are 5 years or older, says the AAP.
- For children age 5 or younger in a swimming pool, make sure they are within arm’s reach of a supervising adult at all times.
- Make sure that at least one adult supervising the children in your pool knows CPR.
- See that the people using or supervising your pool have easy access to emergency equipment such as a telephone, a life preserver, and a shepherd's hook. (Do not substitute inflatable toys or swimming aids for a life preserver.)
- After any swimming session in your pool is done, lock up all access to the pool, so the children can not return. Also, remove toys from the pool area, since kids might be attracted to them.
- If you have a social gathering at your house, appoint adults to trade off being the monitor who keeps children away from the pool.
- Remember that in drowning cases, every second counts. If a child goes missing, check your pool first, scanning the entire pool—bottom, surface, and sides.
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