Children’s health: How to ensure water safety this summer

Pools and splash pads are now open across Chicagoland. While that means summer fun in full swing, it also means an increase in water-related injuries and deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more children ages 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death, and drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 5-14.

In fact, every year in the United States there are more than 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths. But there are a number of ways parents and guardians can ensure the safety of their children.

The number-one defense against accidents around water is to train your kids to swim. Infants as young as 6 months old can begin taking water and swim lessons. However, swim lessons do not make a child drown-proof, and constant supervision is still needed even for skilled swimmers.

Always maintain constant eye contact with your children at social gatherings near pools or other bodies of water. It’s easy to get distracted at events or even at home. However, a few moments of distraction can lead to accidents. If your child goes missing, check the pool, spa or other water feature first.

“When deciding whether your child is ready for swim lessons, consider their emotional maturity, physical and developmental abilities and limitations, and comfort level in the water,” said Dr. Bassam Kawadry, Emergikids Medical Director at Ascension Saint Alexius. “Water safety is a family affair and starts at home. Most home drownings occur in bathtubs, and more than half of bathtub deaths involve children under the age of one.”

Remember that you are never too young or too old to take a CPR course or have a refresher so you’ll feel more confident in case of emergency. CPR could be the difference between a close call and a fatality. Most communities have a number of CPR training options.

Drowning prevention requires multiple layers of commitment and monitoring. Things like fences around a pool, specific pool and door alarms, and pool covers are recommended to prevent unsupervised access to water. When in the pool, bathtub, or any type of water, toddlers and infants should be no more than an arm’s length away from their parent or caregiver.

“While the risk of childhood drowning decreases after age 4, it rises again during the teen years because teens are more likely to overestimate their skills and underestimate the risks,” Dr. Kawadry said.

“Teens are more likely to drown in lakes, oceans, ponds, and other natural bodies of water, whereas younger children are more likely to drown in swimming pools. Teach your teen to always enter the water feet first to check the depth beforehand, and to always wear a life jacket when boating.”

• Children's health is a continuing series. This column was provided by Ascension Illinois.