Swimming Pool Safety for Small Children

Drowning, especially in young children under the age of 5, is the second-leading cause of death in children after congenital impairments. It is also the main reason for accidental deaths in children between the ages of 5 to 19. Despite all the knowledge we have about how to prevent it, every year more than 900 infants and toddlers find up in hospitals after narrowly avoiding drowning in residential swimming pools, lakes, oceans, bathtubs, and even buckets of water.

Of course, the main reasons why most homeowners build a pool in their backyards are to give their kids convenient amusement and escape the heat, especially in the summer. Accidents do occur, sadly, as water has no mercy. Families must adhere to best safety measures in and around water for this reason.

It is your responsibility as an adult to make sure that everyone, especially children, are safe at Swim Pools Sunshine Coast. However, preventing pool mishaps entails more than just keeping an eye on children. The greatest approach to guarantee children’s water safety is to make sure they have the proper swimming equipment (such as life jackets or arm floats). Additionally, it is best to put in place several layers of security, including safety barriers, pool alarms, pool covers, frequent equipment checks, swim lessons, and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) instruction for children. These will greatly lower the possibility of unintentional drowning.

Here are some tips on how to keep children and pets safe around water and how to stop them from getting into the pool alone.

1.Put up fences all around the pool.

Your first line of defence against youngsters entering the pool is safety obstacles like pool gates and fences. When youngsters shouldn’t be swimming, install a four-sided fence with self-closing and self-latching gates to keep them out of the pool area. To prevent young children from slipping through, a perfect pool fence should be four feet tall, see-through, and have vertical slats spaced no more than four inches apart.

2.Install alarms on the immersion pool.

In addition to a pool fence, pool and gate alarms can add to the overall safety of a pool area. Movement in the pool water is picked up by immersion pool alarms. When something or someone enters the water, this device emits a loud siren sound, giving grownups plenty of time to act. When the pool is not in use, it may be turned on, and when it is time to utilise it, it can be turned off.

3.Make use of flotation devices and swim aids.

When children go into difficulties or deep water, flotation gear like life jackets or arm floats (swimmies) guarantee that they stay afloat. It is also excellent for assisting novice swimmers in overcoming their fear of the water. Although they can be useful, flotation devices should never take the place of adult supervision.

4.Make sure an adult is constantly keeping an eye on the pool area.

To avoid accidental drowning in household pools, maintain constant awareness. There should never be a safety measure substituted for adult supervision. Avoid being distracted since a child can start quietly sinking and dying in only a few seconds. Make sure to refrain from making calls and drinking.

Additional pool safety advice:

5. Toys should not be present around the pool area as children could trip over them and fall                   into the water.
6. Enroll your children in swimming classes and teach them how to administer CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation).
7. Find and keep safety and emergency supplies close to the pool.
8. Make sure you are aware of the water’s depth. Never allow your children to dive into water that is too shallow or of an unknown depth.
9. Teach your kids that there is a considerable risk of injury if they run or push other people around the pool.
10. Inform your kids that they must follow the lifeguard’s instructions and should only use the pool with an adult present.