Water Fun!

Summer fun has officially begun and our children are heading from classrooms to playgrounds and swimming pools. My 4 year old son, David, loves to be in water and we have been dilligent about swim lessons; but as a child safety advocate, I know swim lessons do not make children "drown-proof". Drowning still remains one of the leading causes of death for children with home swimming pools being one of the most common places for a child younger than age 5 to drown.

Here are some frightening truths: Most children were being watched by an adult just before they drowned. Children drown quickly and silently, in a matter of seconds. Children from non-swimming households are 8 times more likely to be at risk of drowning.

Water Safety Tips:
-Actively supervise your children around water at all times, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency. Watch your children even if they know how to swim.
-If you have a home pool, make sure your pool has four sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from entering a pool area unsupervised.
-If you are using a large portable pool, cover pools and put access ladders away when adults are not present.
-If using a small portable pool, empty and put away after each use.
-Teach your children to swim, float and other basic life-saving skills.
-Teach your children to never swim alone.
-Learn adult and infant CPR. Immediate CPR can prevent brain damage and be the difference between life and death.

Hope you have a wonderful and safe swimming fun! -Lexlee