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The pool can be an awesome place to have fun, hang out with friends, and spend quality family time, but the truth is that the pool can be a very dangerous place, especially for young children and toddlers. The CDC states that on average, six people a year drown in pools, most of which are public facilities staffed with certified staff and lifeguards. The American Institute for Preventive Medicine states that drowning is the 4th leading cause of accidental deaths claiming around 4000 deaths a year of which one third of these are children under fourteen years of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that for every child who drowns, four are hospitalized for near drowning.

Among these statistics, there are several more confirming that injuries and accidents happen at the pool more often than we like to think. These statistics also suggest that most of the injuries and accidents that happen at pools are happening to our children. What can we do to prevent these things from happening to our families and friends? There are several easy ways to ensure the safety of you and yours.

The American Academy of Pediatrics gives us a few helpful hints to ensure that our children are safe at the pool.
 * First and foremost, all children under thirteen years of age should be supervised by an actively observing adult who is well trained and knowledgeable with CPR. This does not include the staff or lifeguards.
 * Second, be sure to practice touch supervision with children under the age of five. This means that the parent or adult supervising the child should be within arm’s reach.
 * Third, do not substitute air-filled swimming aids for coast guard approved life vests.
 * Fourth, ensure that safety is kept in and out of the water. Running, jumping or diving into shallow water, and swinging on pool fixtures such as rails and ladders are not safe.
 * Lastly, it is important to remember that teaching your child how to swim does not mean your child is safe in water.

Though most pool injuries and accidents there are some risks at the pool that apply to everyone. Here are some additional tips for both children and adults to stay safe at the pool
 * Allow food to digest for at least 45 minutes to an hour before swimming.
 * Apply sunscreen as directed on the packaging. Most directions on these bottles are ignored and sunscreen is applied incorrectly.
 * Never dive in less than nine feet of water.
 * Never drink alcoholic beverages and swim.
 * Stay hydrated, cool, and in the shade.
 * Always read and follow the rules and regulations posted at public swimming facilities.

Parents and supervisors of children tend to think that it is solely the lifeguard’s job to watch their children and ensure their safety, but it is the supervising adult’s first and foremost responsibility to ensure the safety of the children they are supervising. With these guidelines, tips, and your responsibility as a parent or supervisor, accidents and injuries are much less prone to happening so that your family can have a safe and fun time at the pool.

Sources:

National SAFE KIDS Campaign (NSKC). Drowning Fact Sheet. Washington (DC): NSKC, 2004. Retrieved January 2009 from http://usa.safekids.org/tier3_cd.cfm?folder_id=540&content_item_id=1032

Pool Alarms. (2007). Statistics on Pool Drowning of Children and Adults in the United States. Retrieved January 2009 from http://www.poolalarms.com/pool_drowning_statistics.htm

American Academy of Pediatrics. The Injury Prevention Program (TIPP) (1994). Pool Safety for Children. Retrieved January 2009 from http://www.aap.org/family/tipppool.htm