Heading to the pool is a great way to beat the Texas heat.
While many parents think about sunburn prevention, they also know pools can also be dangerous and require swimming safety. If swimming pools are part of your summer plans, be sure to read up on drowning prevention ahead of time.
What Are the Safety Risks?
The two best swimming safety protections against childhood drowning are when kids: 1)know how to swim well, and 2)have adult supervision.
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages swimming lessons for most children starting at 4 years old, and for some younger children who seem ready. Swimming lessons do not provide “drown-proofing”, however, so adult supervision is always absolutely necessary. Most young children who drown are in the care of at least one parent during just a brief lapse in supervision. Even when many adults are present, sometimes no one is actually watching.
Anytime children are in or near water, an adult should be designated to actively watch them. There should be no distractions such as socializing or using a phone, computer, or other devices. The designated adult should know how to swim well, know CPR, and refrain from using alcohol or other impairing drugs. It’s ideal for teenagers to also be supervised by an adult. But at the very least, they should always use the buddy system (never swim alone) and never, ever swim under the influence of alcohol or other impairing drugs.
All young children, non-swimmers, and anyone at higher risk of drowning (intellectual disability, neurological disorder such as seizures, certain heart problems, etc.), should have “touch supervision” and wear a life jacket when in or near water.
- ”Touch supervision” is when a supervising adult is close enough to grab a child if needed.
- Life jackets should have been tested by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), approved by the U.S. Coast Guard (www.uscgboating.org), and given a weight-based size (check the label). It should have a flotation collar and should fit snugly so that you can’t lift it off over your child’s head. Don’t use “floaties”, water wings, inner tubes, “noodles”, or inflatable toys or rafts in place of a life jacket. These do not reliably prevent drowning.
Suction from outdated pool drains can pull someone’s limb or hair into the drain pipe, trapping them underwater. Be sure that any pool you use is compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act (https://cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/361.pdf), and never use a pool with broken or missing drain covers. Empty and put away blow-up and baby pools after each use. If you have a pool on your property that is not emptied after every use, then you need a pool fence. A pool fence will help keep curious kids out of an unsupervised pool.
Choosing a Pool Fence
A safe pool fence has these features:
- At least 4 feet high.
- Less than 4 inches between the ground and the bottom of the fence, and between any upright posts.
- A self-closing, self-latching gate that opens away from the pool.
- A childproof latch that’s higher than a child can reach (at least 54 inches off the ground).
- Not climbable (don’t use chain-link), with nothing alongside it that can be used to climb over.
- Surrounds the pool completely. The wall of a building may be used as one side of the fence, but it preferably should not have doors (including pet doors) or windows that open to the pool area. If doors or windows do open to the pool area, install an alarm on them, install window guards, and be sure the doors are self-closing and self-latching.
- All-access points to the pool area (gates, doors, and windows) should be closed and locked when not under adult supervision.
- Keep toys outside of the fence so that children are not tempted to get into the pool area.
Pool Covers
A pool cover is not a substitute for a pool fence but can be an extra layer of protection. Make sure it covers the entire pool. Warn your child to never walk on the pool cover. They could fall through and become trapped underneath. Pool covers should be removed completely before swimming. Be aware that some pool covers, such as floating solar covers, are not designed to prevent drowning. All pool owners should know CPR and have U.S. Coast Guard-approved rescue equipment (life preservers, life jackets, and a shepherd’s crook — a long pole with a hook on the end) at the poolside.
Educate your pool-owning neighbors about these precautions, and anytime a child is missing, always check the water first. There are many things you can do to keep your kids safe in and around pools. Having these safety precautions in place will allow you to enjoy the water with them that much more.
This is a guest post by Meisa Ezekiel. Meisa Ezekiel, 
M.D. is a board-certified pediatrician who lives in Austin, TX. She is a mother of four young children and a tireless advocate for the underserved in her community.
