| Every year about 300 American children under | | | | all swimming toys, floats and anything else that |
| five drown in a swimming pool, most often the | | | | might attract children from the pool area. |
| one in their own back yard. A further 2,000 | | | | As their abilities change, toddlers are more apt to |
| toddlers are sent to the emergency room with | | | | explore, putting them in a higher risk category. In |
| submersion related injuries. Most of them were | | | | fact, with all this newness you might find your |
| being supervised by at least one parent and had | | | | child doing something today that they would |
| been out of sight for fewer than five minutes. | | | | never have dreamed of doing last week. This is |
| The fact is that a child can drown in a few inches | | | | why having several layers to prevent access to |
| of water and will most likely do it without making | | | | the pool is so essential. |
| any sound to alert you. In the time it takes to | | | | Install a barrier or fence around your pool. It |
| notice your child is gone, it could be too late. | | | | should be at least four feet high with a gate that |
| Pools can be the center of fantastic family | | | | is both self-closing and self catching - ensure that |
| memories, but in Arizona, California and Florida | | | | the latch is out of reach of children. Remove pool |
| they are the leading cause of accidental death in | | | | ladders to prevent access when you aren't using |
| the home for toddlers. That's a memory most | | | | the pool. If you have a door leading to the pool, |
| families can do without. The real tragedy is that | | | | install an alarm with a control pad that children |
| drowning is a preventable accident. So before you | | | | can't reach. Make sure you can hear the alarm |
| turn your pool, hot tub or spa into roller-rink, why | | | | inside the house - this will alert you if a child |
| not take some simple steps towards safety? | | | | wanders towards the pool unnoticed. |
| Armed with these statistics and some new ideas, | | | | Consider using a safety cover when the pool is |
| you can make your pool the safest on the block. | | | | not in use. This could be the essential barrier |
| When you are around the water, keep your child | | | | between a toddler and the bottom of a pool. |
| within arm's reach whenever possible. Life jackets | | | | Remember, when a child is missing always search |
| are an added safety feature, but should not be | | | | the pool area first. Keep rescue items near your |
| used as a substitute for supervision. Children | | | | pool (a tow, throw, etc) and make sure there is |
| should be taught to swim, but knowing how to | | | | easy access to a phone. Consider taking a first aid |
| swim doesn't mean they can be left alone. | | | | course - quick CPR can make a huge difference in |
| Children should always be supervised while in and | | | | preventing or limiting brain damage. Every second |
| around water. | | | | counts. |
| Children are naturally attracted to water - it's | | | | Don't become a statistic: a bit of forethought can |
| important to try to help them understand the | | | | keep ensure that your pool is the site of safe, |
| safety concerns as much as possible without | | | | happy memories. |
| scaring them. When you leave the pool, remove | | | | |