Water Safety: Tips for Preventing Drowning

Drowning continues to be the leading cause of unintentional death in children between the ages of 1 and 4. However, it is also the number one preventable cause of death for these kids. That’s good -- it means there is so much we can do to prevent it from happening! 

Although this summer and many of our favorite water activities haven’t been quite as accessible due to COVID, there are still drowning incidents that occur at home and around the yard. 

Here are a few tips to help you prevent something like from happening:

Supervision

The number one way we can prevent drowning is by watching our children! In a world where we get so easily distracted by other people, checking our phones, grabbing snacks, it is so important to identify how we can limit those distractions to make sure we have eyes and attention on the child(ren) in the water. If you can, put that swimsuit on and get in the water with your kiddo, mama!

Empty Containers and Tubs

Did you know that small children can drown in containers that have less than two inches of water? So if you have a little one around the house, think about emptying buckets, coolers (dumping ice out), bathtubs, trash cans, kiddie pools, or any container that holds water.

Here are the most common places of drowning by age:

Children 0-12 months: bathtubs and buckets

Children 1-5 years old: swimming pools and hot tubs

Children 5+ years old: natural bodies of water (lakes, rivers, oceans)

Teach Kids to Swim

Investing in survival swimming lessons is a good option for some. If that’s not an option, find a way to teach your child on your own (you can look up tips on blog posts, YouTube, etc.). If your child does not swim and needs to wear a life jacket or puddle jumper, do not take it off until you are DONE swimming. Puddle jumpers often give children a false sense of security, so make sure it’s a rule that it must stay on at all times when the child is in or near the water. 

Keep Home Pools Safe

If you have a home pool, install a home alarm with door chime notifications. Pools should be surrounded by a four-sided fence (not just the yard, but the pool itself!). Be sure that the gate has a self-latching element and that it opens outward. Lastly, remove all toys from the pool after swimming, so children are not tempted to go looking for them later. 

Be a Water Watcher 

Resolve to be the adult who will watch the pool and kids. Switch off with other parents if needed. Someone must ALWAYS have eyes on the children in the water. 

How to Help a Drowning Child 

If you find a child in the water, get them out and away from the water immediately. Shout for help and direct a specific person to call 911. Lay the child on the ground on their back, lift the chin to open the airway, and assess for breathing. If the child is not responding and not breathing, begin CPR. 

Learn and Certify in CPR 

Finally, become CPR certified. This is essential, not only for saving your child, but anyone else around you who might be in need. I have created an at-a-glance PDF demonstrating the basic of CPR. You can download it here. I strongly suggest getting certified through an agency like The American Red Cross. I also share a video demonstration in my online course Mastering Medical Emergencies for Moms.