Accidental drowning of chidren can be prevented with these saftey tips. Learn what to look for in water safety.
More than 70 percent of accidental drownings could have been avoided if owners of households installed safety latches, gates and locks around their pools. Although sometimes this is not enough, there are also pool alarms and covers for your pool when you feel you need extra protection for your child. The alarm will sound off when someone enters the water.
To make extra certain you don't ever have to experience this kind of situation, you need to send your child for swimming lessons. Children, even while infants and toddlers, have shown they are capable of learning how to swim. Children also need safety swimmies or life preservers in deep water. Make sure they are coast guard approved, even though just used in the pool or at the beach. The life preserver will say right on it if it is approved. Toys such as blow up rings and vinyl mattresses are not to be used as a life preserver. They are meant only to lie on in the pool or beach for recreation enjoyment.
Drownings can occur in minutes in any type of water, whether it's salt water at the beach, chlorine water with chemicals from your pool, or the bathtub with all the bubbles added.
Young children should never be left alone in a bathroom tub or pool. They should always be supervised by an adult. Children can also turn on the bathtub and scald themselves with the hot water or get knocked unconscious and drown.
The warmer the water, the more chances there are of survival when immersed in water, keeping in mind also factors such as health, and how fast help arrives to rescue the child. Young children can last up to three minutes under water and an older child up to 10 minutes. Frigid temperture water will bring down a child's body temperture too quick, and this type of water is also very deadly. Water that is around 60 degrees farenheit is a good temperture for success in survival.
Children vary on how fast they use their oxygen in a drowning emergency. The more they panic the more they use up. Loss of oxygen causes cardiac arrest. It might be a good idea for the parents to learn CPR. You can sign up for these courses at your local Red Cross Office, or at one of your local schools or colleges.
Another great idea is to make sure you have access to a phone while in the pool with your child, incase of an emergency to call 911. Buy a portable cordless phone and take it out to the pool area with you. Make sure it will work in your area when purchasing.
