Summer activities tend to revolve around water. As the weather heats up, families will flock to the beach, lakes, natural springs, pool, rivers, and water parks to cool off. The best way to beat the heat is to get wet, right? But there can be many dangers lurking in those waters.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old. It is the second leading cause of unintentional injury or death for children 5 to 14 years old.
The CDC offers these tips for drowning prevention:
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Build fences that fully enclose pools: Construct and use a four-sided fence that is at least 4 feet high around the whole pool. The fence should separate the pool from the house, with self-closing and self-latching gates. Remove toys from the area that might attract children when the pool is not in use.
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Supervise closely: Designate a responsible adult to keep watch constantly when children are in or near water. The supervising adults should avoid distracting activities like reading, using the phone and consuming alcohol or drugs.
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Wear a life jacket: Life jackets reduce the risk of drowning while boating for people of all ages and swimming abilities. Life jackets should be used by children for all activities while in and around natural water. Life jackets can also be used by weaker swimmers of all ages in and around natural water and swimming pools.
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Learn CPR: Your CPR skills could save someone's life in the time it takes for paramedics to arrive.
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Know the risks of natural waters: Lakes, rivers and oceans have hidden hazards such as dangerous currents or waves, rocks or vegetation and limited visibility. Check the forecast before water activities, as conditions can change quickly and cause flash floods, strong winds and thunderstorms with lightning strikes.
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Avoid alcohol: Don't drink alcohol before or during swimming, boating or other water activities. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance and coordination. Also, don't drink alcohol while supervising children.
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Use the buddy system: Always swim with someone else. Choose swimming sites that have lifeguards when possible.
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Take additional precautions for medical conditions: Know if a health issue might increase your drowning risk and take extra precautions.
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Consider the effects of medications: Avoid swimming if you take medications that impair your balance, coordination or judgment. These side effects increase the risk of drowning.
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Don't hyperventilate or hold your breath for a long time: Hyperventilating before swimming underwater or trying to hold your breath underwater for long periods of time can cause you to pass out and drown. This is sometimes called "hypoxic blackout" or "shallow water blackout."
You can read the full article here.
Drowning can happen in seconds, and it is often silent. It can happen to anyone at any time there is access to water. Make sure you follow these tips to keep your family safe this summer. You want to have fun in the sun. Not have a summer outing turn to tragedy.