Play safe this summer
With the summer months approaching parents need to remember the importance of keeping children safe around water.
During 2009/2010, 33 children under the age of 5 drowned in Australia. This is 7% higher than the 5 year average drowning death rate (1). Non fatal drowning incidents are also of great concern as they can have potential long term effects including brain damage, and permanent disability.
Toddlers are curious by nature and often attracted by water, however they have little fear or understanding of the possible dangers posed. As they learn to crawl and walk, their ability to access water hazards such as pools, spas, and buckets is greatly increased. Toddlers tend to be ‘top heavy' and can therefore easily lose balance and fall into bodies of water. Children can drown in as little as a few centimetres of water, so items such as inflatable swimming pools, baths, and nappy buckets all pose a drowning hazard.
According to the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, 49% of children aged 0-4 drowned in a swimming pool. Kidsafe recommends that parents and carers take the following precautions to reduce the risk of childhood drowning:
Supervise:
• Ensure constant and active supervision.
• Remain within an arm's reach of young children as they can drown quickly and silently.
• Never leave a young child unsupervised; always take your child with you if you have to leave the water area, even if you will only be gone for a short period.
• Don't expect older children to look after younger siblings. Children have short attention spans and can be easily distracted.
• Nominate a parent or carer to supervise any children near the water when you have visitors.
Reduce the hazard:
• Restrict the child's access to water through safety barriers such as pool fencing. The legislation surrounding pool fencing differs between the States and Territories of Australia. Contact your local authority or government agency, or Kidsafe in your state or territory, for information on pool fencing regulations in your area.
• Don't leave objects near a pool fence that will enable children to climb into a pool e.g. pot plants and chairs.
• Don‘t leave any gates or doors propped open that might allow children access to a body of water.
• Create a safe play area for children, especially on farms and large properties, that is separated from bodies of water such as swimming pools, dams and water troughs.
Knowledge:
• Take children to water familiarisation lessons. Such lessons assist in teaching children to swim while also helping them to understand water safety.
• Ensure that there is always an adult present who knows how to swim and can do CPR.
• Enrol in a resuscitation course and update skills annually so you are able to respond in case of an emergency.
• Keep a resuscitation poster beside swimming pools as a reminder.
Remember, there is no substitute for active supervision! Take the necessary measures to ensure your child's safety this summer.
To download a swimming pool checklist please visit:
http://www.royallifesaving.com.au//resources/documents/HomePool_A4Checklist.pdf
Other useful sites include:
www.royallifesaving.com.au
www.sls.com.au
www.stjohn.org.au
www.chw.edu.au/kidshealth/pool_fencing
www.farmsafe.org.au
http://www.samuelmorrisfoundation.org.au/
1.) Royal Life Saving Society Australia, 'National Drowning Report 2010'.
For further information regarding water safety contact your local Kidsafe office or visit our website at www.kidsafe.com.au
