{"id":12983,"date":"2021-05-17T13:30:33","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T18:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=12983"},"modified":"2026-03-09T15:45:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:45:02","slug":"water-safety-tips-to-keep-your-kids-safe-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/water-safety-tips-to-keep-your-kids-safe-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Water safety tips to keep your kids safe this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As the summer heat intensifies, you and your children may take to the water to beat the heat. After all, what goes better with fun and sun than water? Pools, sprinklers, lakes, rivers \u2013 there is lots of water and plenty of ways to enjoy it.<\/p>\n<p>But kids and water can also be a dangerous mix, so be sure to follow some simple <a href=\"http:\/\/healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org\/Search\/90,P03003\">safety tips<\/a> to help keep your chill summer vibes cool.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin: 10px; float: right;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Summer Safety: Have a water watcher\" aria-label=\"Summer Safety: Have a water watcher\" src=\"https:\/\/freshpaint-video.com\/d7bef322-4e14-46ae-bccd-a1dc9ff764d7\/eef1b361-e0a2-4d07-847e-9ab42798d47b\" width=\"426\" height=\"240\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h2>Real danger<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWhile infants are more likely to drown in a bathtub inside the home, children age 1-4 are more likely to drown at home in a pool or spa,\u201d said Stefanie Clarke, a pediatric nurse practitioner with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/\">OSF HealthCare<\/a>. \u201cChildren older than 4, specifically teens, are more likely to drown in a natural body of water.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children age 1-14. Studies show that 69% of children who drowned in a pool were not expected to be in the water at that time, which makes the presence of a pool a constant source of possible danger.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt that age, from 1-4, children are naturally curious, which can lead them into unsafe situations,\u201d Stefanie said.<\/p>\n<p>That is why any pool or hot tub at your home should have a barrier or fence that keeps young ones out unless someone can supervise them.<\/p>\n<h2>Tips to keep your child safe<\/h2>\n<h3><em><u>Assign a water watcher<\/u><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>The water watcher needs to be a designated person with no distractions or alcohol.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDrowning is very silent, and kids just go under,\u201d Stefanie said. \u201cIf a kid is drowning, they\u2019re not splashing and yelling help, so the water watcher needs to pay attention. If you\u2019re having families getting together, maybe you take turns and hand off water watcher responsibilities or hire a designated lifeguard, because it\u2019s easy to get distracted talking with other people.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><em><u>Get CPR training<\/u><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/services\/medical-professionals\/ems\">Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training<\/a> will help you know what to do if someone, like a drowning victim, loses consciousness.<\/p>\n<h3><em><u>Use life vests<\/u><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>Life vests are crucial for children who aren\u2019t strong swimmers in natural bodies of water <em>and <\/em>pools. A person\u2019s vest should fit snugly and be certified by the U.S. Coast Guard. If you\u2019re boating, everyone should wear a life vest, regardless of swimming ability. (If you\u2019re boating, you should also avoid alcohol.)<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13026 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peds-water-safety_B-300x158.jpg\" alt=\"father helping daughter with life jacket\" width=\"300\" height=\"158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peds-water-safety_B-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peds-water-safety_B-710x373.jpg 710w, https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peds-water-safety_B-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peds-water-safety_B-500x263.jpg 500w, https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peds-water-safety_B-400x210.jpg 400w, https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peds-water-safety_B.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><em><u>Enroll your child in swimming lessons or water skills classes<\/u><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>Swimming lessons can help children develop their water skills. Most children are ready for swimming lessons by age 4.<\/p>\n<p>Toddler classes are a good idea for both young children and their parents to learn good safety lessons, like always asking for permission before getting into the water.<\/p>\n<h3><em><u>Check the water<\/u><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re planning to get in a natural body of water, check the water for anything like branches, rocks or thick weeds that may trip your children or pull them under the surface.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlso, check the temperature of the water,\u201d Stefanie said. \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org\/wellness\/Fitness\/85,P00844\">Hypothermia<\/a> is a concern. Kids have a harder time than adults regulating their body temperature.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><em><u>Beware the danger of pool covers<\/u><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>Another reason why an effective fence or barrier is necessary for your pool is the pool cover itself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPool covers can be a risk,\u201d Stefanie said. \u201cKids can think it\u2019s a hard surface, try to walk on it and get trapped under the pool cover.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As warmer weather sets in, there&#8217;s a greater need to be in the water. Whether it be sprinklers, lakes, rivers or pools, there&#8217;s always a risk of accidents and kids are the most vulnerable. With preparation and education, you and your little ones can feel confident around the water this summer. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":13024,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[116],"tags":[429,371,677,3],"coauthors":[692],"class_list":["post-12983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pediatrics","tag-emergency","tag-pediatrics","tag-safety","tag-summer"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Water safety tips to keep your kids safe this summer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Kids and water can be a dangerous mix. 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