Drowning is the No. 1 cause of child-related accidental deaths, according to the Center for Disease Control, and pool drownings are a threat year-round.
On average, around 300-400 children under 5 years old drown in pools every year, the CDC reported. And for every fatal drowning, there are between three and seven non-fatal drownings that result in emergency room visits, many of which result in brain injury.
Even though summer is winding to a close, children still drown in pools during the winter months. Life Saver Pool Fence Systems, Inc. President Eric Lupton is on the Board of Directors of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and gave several tips to prevent children from drowning in pools.
Establish layers of protection
Lupton recommended adding several security measures to prevent your children from reaching the pool. Parents should lock the doors and windows in their home so children cant easily get into the backyard. If the swimming pool is located in a pool house, parents should always keep the doors and windows locked.
Parents should also consider investing in pool alarms, devices that float in the pool and detect disturbances in the water. Pool fences are also a good deterrent and the CDC recommends that they be at least 4 feet high. Life Saver Pool Fence Systems, Inc. creates a variety of durable, mesh fences with aluminum posts that can be taken down when needed, Lupton said.
Be prepared
Lupton said it is a good idea for parents of children to be certified in CPR and have the necessary life-saving skills to prevent a drowning. Parents should also consider enrolling their children in swimming lessons at an early age. Classes are taught to babies as young as 6 months old.
Assign designated pool watcher
When the pool is being used, Lupton said it is critical for the adults to assign one person to watch the pool and to rotate every 10-15 minutes, like a lifeguard.
Someone who is not texting or reading a book or doing anything else besides just watching the pool, Lupton said. That way, you never think that somebody else is watching the kids. There are a lot of drownings like that where you have 10 parents at a pool party, and everyone thinks someone else is watching the kids, and somebody drowns.
On average, around 300-400 children under 5 years old drown in pools every year, the CDC reported. And for every fatal drowning, there are between three and seven non-fatal drownings that result in emergency room visits, many of which result in brain injury.
Even though summer is winding to a close, children still drown in pools during the winter months. Life Saver Pool Fence Systems, Inc. President Eric Lupton is on the Board of Directors of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and gave several tips to prevent children from drowning in pools.
Establish layers of protection
Lupton recommended adding several security measures to prevent your children from reaching the pool. Parents should lock the doors and windows in their home so children cant easily get into the backyard. If the swimming pool is located in a pool house, parents should always keep the doors and windows locked.
Parents should also consider investing in pool alarms, devices that float in the pool and detect disturbances in the water. Pool fences are also a good deterrent and the CDC recommends that they be at least 4 feet high. Life Saver Pool Fence Systems, Inc. creates a variety of durable, mesh fences with aluminum posts that can be taken down when needed, Lupton said.
Be prepared
Lupton said it is a good idea for parents of children to be certified in CPR and have the necessary life-saving skills to prevent a drowning. Parents should also consider enrolling their children in swimming lessons at an early age. Classes are taught to babies as young as 6 months old.
Assign designated pool watcher
When the pool is being used, Lupton said it is critical for the adults to assign one person to watch the pool and to rotate every 10-15 minutes, like a lifeguard.
Someone who is not texting or reading a book or doing anything else besides just watching the pool, Lupton said. That way, you never think that somebody else is watching the kids. There are a lot of drownings like that where you have 10 parents at a pool party, and everyone thinks someone else is watching the kids, and somebody drowns.
