Tips for Ensuring your Child is Safe in the Water

Most children tend to love water, whether they are having a bath, enjoying a day at the beach, or having a pool party, parents usually have a hard time stopping them from playing in the water. This means it is extremely important that parents are aware of the ways they can make splashing about a little safer. Mobile and curious, toddlers aged one to three years old are most at risk, because they do not understand the danger of water. Here are some tips on how to protect your child from drowning.

Always supervise your child

This may be an obvious one, but all it takes is a turned backed for a few seconds- which all parents could understandably be guilty of. Whether the phone is ringing, or the dog is peeing where he shouldn’t be, you must always keep an eye on your child. This is especially true of babies in the bath, even if they are in a seat. The terrifying fact is that a baby or small child could drown in only five centimeters of water, so you need to keep them under your supervision at all times when they are near any body of water.

Teach them how to swim

Even if your child knows how to swim, that’s not to say that you can leave them to it as they may still be too young to use their swimming skills in an emergency. However, swimming lessons are a great way of teaching them about water safety. In the eventuality of them finding themselves in difficulty in the water, or without swimming aids for toddlers, they can learn how to float, and rise one arm up to signalise they are in danger.

Learn resuscitation techniques

Unfortunately, most parents do not know basic resuscitation technics. If your child is drowning, time is vital and resuscitation should start immediately. Do not wait for the ambulance to arrive (although they should always be called in such a situation). Knowing basic resuscitation techniques could mean the difference between life and death. Therefore, it is very important for parents to go on first aid courses. (Take a look at my Oopsy Daisy Post for recommendations!)

Although some of this post might have made parents think about the unthinkable, most children love bath time. They like to play and splash and the sound of their jolly giggles can brighten up the whole house. So, parents shouldn’t pass on their anxiety about water onto their kids. But it is important to always remain vigilant.

*This is a collaborative post