Make Your Pool a Safe Zone
By Dr. Ruchi Kaushik
So, before diving into summer, be sure to review a few water safety tips with your “water babies.”
- If you have a pool or spa, install a four-sided fence that is completely separated from the house and play area of the yard. The fence should be at least four feet high and should have self-closing and self-latching gates. Never prop the gate open. Do not leave furniture near the fence that would allow your child to climb over it.
- Always swim with a buddy; this includes adults. When your children are swimming, make sure an adult (either yourself or someone you trust) is watching. Do not take your eyes off them.
- Enroll your child in American Red Cross-approved swimming lessons. But, remember, this does not obviate the need for careful supervision and pool fences.
- If your child is not a strong swimmer, use a life jacket. Do not use pool toys, noodles, or inner tubes as substitutes.
- Advise your children to walk, and not run, around pool areas or between rides at water parks.
- Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). You may save a child’s life before paramedics arrive.
- Allow at least two hours for your child to digest a meal before jumping in the pool. Do not let your child eat or chew gum while swimming—he/she may choke.
- Apply sunscreen before playing in the sun and reapply every time they come out of the pool, as it washes off easily. For infants and toddlers, use a sunscreen with at least SPF 50, and for older children at least SPF 25.
But most of all, be sure to have a boat-load of fun! For more information, visit the CDC (www.cdc.gov/drowning/index.html) or contact your pediatrician.