It's summertime, which means swimming pools, trips to the ocean, and lakefront summer barbecues. While these fantastic activities are great ways for you to spend quality time with your family, it's also time to be on high alert as your children head towards the water. But what should you be watching for? Flailing hands and screams of "Help!"? Lots of splashing and freaking out?
Actually, no. That's not at all what a drowning victim looks like. And what's even more frightening is how most of us could easily ignore a drowning child, and have no idea what horrible thing is happening right in front of our eyes. Because a drowning child is completely still and silent. Even more frightening, once people enter this stage called the instinctive drowning response, you only have between 20 and 60 seconds to save them.
While this Coast Guard member posted this terrifying story last year, it's worth repeating as we all suit up and head to the pool. In fact, I'm printing out Mario Vittone's advice and carrying it with me in my wallet:
... children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.
Lifeguards are trained to spot drowning people, but we regular Joes at the beach are not. But hopefully after you read this, you will be. Even before you head out, there are ways to help prevent this horrifying scenario.
Rebecca Wear Robinson tells parents how to teach their children respect and love for the water. Her biggest piece of advice for drowning prevention is to teach your kids about water safety. Not swimming lessons, water safety. She recommends getting your children used to water at the earliest of ages, and showing them how being safe in water will be rewarded. Presenting water as fun as well as teaching them the dangers is the key to enjoying the summer without fear.
Her other piece of advice is constant positive reinforcement to never go into the water without an adult. This one I'll be doing starting today. It's something I just assumed my kids knew, but when it comes to trying to save children from drowning, you should never make any assumptions. Especially one that you'll be able to hear your child if he is in distress.
So go forth this summer and have an amazing time getting wet! Just don't forget to stop, watch, and listen.
What do you do to keep your kids safe in water?
Image via momentcaptured1/Flickr
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Comments 21
Awesome article. This is why all 3 of my children were introduced to the water at 3, 6, and 9 months.
i have been teaching my son water safety and how to swim, good article!
We have a rule in our (extended) family for any swimming (but particularly ocean/river/lake swimming). Never swim alone. This goes for parents, grandparents, and kids. If no one knows you're in the water, no one knows if there's a problem.
We had been swimming for an hour at a local stream where the deepest water is about 6 ft. and that area is very small, I would say the average depth is 3 ft. and the small children and a TON of Moms are in the larger 3 ft. area, but there is as current. We always cordon off a large area of 6" to 1' water with a river rock barrier for the toddlers as well to slow the current in that area. It's always been safe, UNTIL.... Ladies & Gents, what you need to be most aware of in this situation is DARK WATER!!!! Once someone is under water, they are invisible! This is not a blue bottomed pool where you can see a child underwater! Something fleshy touched my leg and I reached down immediately. The boy I pulled up was about 4, his Mother did not even know he was under yet. The current had pushed him 50 ft from her! As soon as I lifted him out of the water he coughed profusely. I started screaming "Help!" When I did, the Mom must have counted heads and she came running with Dad. Boy is fine and very lucky he brushed my leg. Moral of my story: IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AND NOT IN A POOL SITUATION, THERE ARE DIFFERENT RULES! This could have been tragic. My son swam here so so many times. I count my blessings.
My family had a pool growing up, and we had the same rule as Ursula187. No swimming alone, even as adults. All children must be accompanied by an adult, no exceptions. Even if there is more than one child, there is always supposed to be an adult present. A kid might not notice anything is wrong and think their friend/sibling is just playing, where an adult is more likely to react with more speed. I was also taught to swim at a very early age; swimming lessons at our local rec center until I could keep my head above water and float on my back. After that, the biggest rule was no horse play in the pool.
My niece got into the pool while other adults where in the water and alot of us right by the pool. I just happened to look over and see her bobbing in the water trying to keep her head up. She never made a sound, she took her float off and got back in the shallow ened and no one heared her. If i hadnt seen her when i did she might not of made it. It was soooo scray since so many ppl where just fet or inches from her and never saw her fighting to stay above the water. It only takes an inch of water for a child to drowned so be careful even if its just a kiddie pool.
I would have thought most moms would know that silence is scarier than noise LOL. know that at home (no water involved), I get nervous when the house gets quiet for more than about 20 seconds. If a kid is screaming, he's breathing (and mine are usually screaming, be it frustration or joy!) Silence is always more concerning with small children....I come running when I don't hear them!
But there is a WONDERFUL point here about teaching "water safety." People don't drown because they "don't know how to swim." The human body is naturally bouyant. People drown because they panic and aspirate water, or they suffer an ijury that causes them to go under and aspirate water. Alleviating irrational fear, and teaching safe behavior, is the best way to prevent drowning. Swimming technique is irrelevant, safety and respect is what saves lives.
this is why i don't swim! too many dangers! (and bathing suits are just ew)
Great article! I didn't know this...goes to show me that as a mom I have so much to learn and I cannot let my guard down!