Swimming Pools
Swimming pools — and that includes kiddie pools — are lethal for unattended children, who have the highest drowning rates in the United States. In the sunny states of Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas, drowning is the leading cause of death for toddlers. The greatest danger is of a toddler gaining access to a swimming pool without the parents knowing they are capable of doing so. Even sturdy fences with tall gates and big locks are ineffective if they are left unlocked or propped open! Keep the following cautions in mind:
Just because a swimming pool gate is locked today doesn't mean it will be locked tomorrow.
Just because a pool gate is locked doesn't mean a child won't find a way to climb over it.
Supervision is the primary preventative measure against drowning.
Water safety training doesn't improve children's poolside behavior.
Swimming lessons decrease children's fear of the water, making them more likely to enter water when no one is present to supervise.
If your child is taking swimming lessons for fun, have at it. But if you're hoping your child will learn poolside safety, forget it. Even toddlers who received careful instruction from professionals didn't improve. If toddlers overcome their fear of the water and learn to swim in a water babies class, watch out! Once they're no longer afraid, they're bolder about jumping in. If they do, instead of using the skills they've mastered in swimming class, they're likely to panic. Little fishes remain at high risk for drowning.
