Because drowning is the leading cause of death from injury for toddlers in Florida, Stacey McConkey, MD, pediatrician, offers the following tips to prevent water tragedies:
- Always supervise children in and around water.
- Install four-sided, five-foot- high fencing with a self-closing, self-latching gate around pools and spas to prevent direct access from the house.
- Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Personal Floatation Device (PFD) when on a boat.
- Never leave a young child alone or with a sibling in the bathtub, not even to answer the phone or to get a towel. If you must leave, take the child with you.
- Although they cant drown-proof a child, swimming lessons are a must.
- Never swim in unguarded areas, such as canals or ponds.
- Learn CPR and know how to reach your Emergency Medical Service; keep a phone outside near pools and have emergency numbers posted.
Children should follow 4 rules for swimming:
- Swim with a buddy, never alone.
- Don't dive or jump into bodies of water; always wade in first.
- Don't push or jump on top of others.
- Be prepared for an emergency.
Swimming pools are where most submersion injuries occur, but small children can drown in less than an inch of water in a matter of seconds making even kiddy pools, bathtubs, buckets and toilets potential hazards, says Dr. McConkey. By simply taking a few simple safety precautions, parents can significantly reduce their child's chance of drowning.
