May is national water safety month and the perfect time to talk about children being safe around the water this summer. Water covers over 70% of the world. We are surrounded by water, so learning to swim should be a priority. Maryland is the fourth longest tidal coastline in the continental United States. With extensive shorelines in Maryland, learning to swim is an important life skill that could save a life. Children are a particularly vulnerable population.
Every year more than 1,000 children 14 years and younger drown in pools and spas. Thousands more are hospitalized. Drowning and water accidents can happen fast and silently. Drownings can happen anywhere there is water. As one swim instructor puts it, you can drown in a bowl of soup. For young children in particular, it does not matter if it is at home in a bathtub, home pool, public pool, pond, lake or ocean. Drowning is a real danger. Never leave your children unattended around the water.
That may seem stick but there is no room for compromise on this one. Babies can drown in as little as an inch of water. Don’t be distracted. Put your cell phone away, forget about the other things you have to do and give your children 100% of your attention when they are near or around the water. 90% of total deaths reported in children with autism in the United States is due to drowning. It is important that every child has a parent or guardian watching them while they swim. Even if there are lifeguards on duty. Fatal drownings are 8 times more likely to happen to children who do not know how to swim.
Learning to swim is an important part of drowning prevention. This may seem obvious, however, according to a Red Cross survey, more than half of all Americans either can’t swim or lack basic swimming skills. Drowning is the #1 cause of unintentional injury deaths for children between the ages of 1 and 4. Drowning is a difficult topic to think about, but we must. The good news is most drownings are preventable.
Here are some common water safety tips to keep in mind:
• When on a boat, everyone should have a life jacket.
• If you are using a pool floatation aid it should be coast guard approved. Toy floats and many swim aids like water wings and noodles are not coast guard approved.
• Teach your children to never swim alone and only with proper supervision. Knowing how to swim does not make a child drown-proof. Children still need proper supervision in and around the water.
• Always watch children when they are swimming.
• Enroll your children at an early age in a structured swim program where they will learn water safety skills like floating and treading water.
Learning to swim at a young age has many benefits. The obvious one would be safety around and in the water. However, there are additional benefits swimming offers young swimmers like coordination development and motor skills. Learning to swim is an important life skill that can keep children safe as they enjoy water activities and pool and beach fun this summer.
Thinking of enrolling your child in swim lessons? Merritt Clubs offers the Michael Phelps Swim School. Click here to learn more.
