Children and Water Safety

Parenting and Water Safety

Drowning is a leading domestic hazard for children. Whether it’s in a wading pool or a bathtub, a child can drown without warning, and most drowning accidents silent; the parent or care provider never hears a struggle. The child can’t call out while drowning, and the child is too young to try and make a sound for help as they struggle. This is why care providers stress that child can never be left unattended around open water, whether it’s an infant in a kitchen sink, or some kids in the shallow end of the pool. There has been a wide range of drowning accidents at home. Parents might feel like they can let their guard down since they’re not at a predictable drowning place, like a beach.

Domestic Water Hazards

Family life should always be based around safety. Pools are an obvious hazard. But what can look perfectly safe for an adult can in actuality be deadly for a child. An open bucket of water, for example, can be deadly to a toddler. If the child bends over into the bucket, he can fall in. The toddler is then stuck in the water upside-down, and since the bucket of water can weigh more than the toddler, he can’t knock it over, and also can’t pull himself out.  Another hazard is simply the bathtub. A child cannot be left unattended, even if he’s old enough to keep his head up and crawl in and out of the tub. A drowning victim can often ‘freeze-up’ when they can’t get a breath, so if the water is deep enough to cover someone’s face – even if they’re lying down – it’s deep enough for them to drown. Always stay right with your children when they are being bathed. For parents tending two children at once in the bathroom, showers with hand-wands are often safer, as long as there’s no water accumulation.