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Family

8 Essential Pool Safety Tips Every Parent Must Know

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Family

8 Essential Pool Safety Tips Every Parent Must Know

The recent drowning of a three-year-old boy has been classified by as a “tragic misadventure”. As heartbreaking as this incident is, it reminds us to always be aware of the safety rules when your kid are in the pool.

April 5, 2019

The death of a six-year-old girl who drowned while at a swimming lesson at Kallang Basin Swimming Complex is absolutely heartbreaking. It just reminds us – yet again – to always be alert and aware of the safety rules when your kid are in the pool.

8 Must-Know Water Safety Tips For Your Toddler
Be vigilant when your children are in the water. (Photo: Pixabay)

Six-year-old Sherlyn Ler, who could not float or swim independently without support, was at a 7pm swimming lesson with other students on 20 December 2017. The Straits Times reports that her instructor led her to the middle of the pool to teach her to swim to the pool’s edge with a swimming board, but then turned to focus on other students for a few minutes.

About four minutes passed before two other girls noticed Sherlyn floating face up in the pool, and alerted a lifeguard. She was given CPR and rushed to hospital, but it was too little too late. She died a few weeks later on January 9, from “a lack of oxygen and blood flowing to the brain”.

“Drowning is known to occur quickly and quietly between 20 and 60 seconds,” says State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam. The water was between 0.8 to one metre deep, and Sherlyn was just 1.11 metres tall. Her mother was seated nearby, but reportedly became “distracted by her phone and when she turned to speak to other people.”

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Swimming is one of the most exciting and memorable activities for children. Sadly though, drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children, especially toddlers, worldwide. So if you have a swimming pool or regularly bring your kids to one, then you have to make sure that you take certain precautions.

Pools can be fun yet very dangerous for toddlers because they think that they can do anything including walking on water. No matter how well-behaved a child may be, he or she will still be very curious and at risk for drowning. A lot of toddlers drown because of parents who think that their children are too well-behaved to jump into the pool. It is every parent’s responsibility to keep their children safe no matter what their personality or behaviour may be.

Here are 8 water safety tips every parent should bear in mind:

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/gallery/family/8-must-know-water-safety-tips-toddler/
8 Essential Pool Safety Tips Every Parent Must Know
Tip 1: Keep an eye on your child at all times.
image

Never ever leave your children unsupervised even for a second. “Kids can drown in as little as one inch of water,” says Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide.

If you want to leave the pool, bring your kids with you. Never think that someone else is watching over them. Don’t let them swim if nobody can look after them. Floaters are not substitutes for supervision.

Tip 2: Enrol kids in water safety classes, but be strategic about it.
image

While the Sherlyn Ler incident happened on a swimming class, these incidents are few and far in between. Ideally, look for one-to-one swimming classes, so your child has the undivided attention of the instructor.

“Ideally, the child, especially one who is not an independent swimmer, should be within arm’s reach,” says Kamala.

Your toddlers should learn how to relax in water and to hold their breath when under water in case of emergencies. It would also help if they could learn how to recover their breath and swimming to the side of the pool when they start drowning. This will really be helpful just in case your kid goes into the pool without your knowledge.

Tip 3: Be vigilant even if your children know how to swim.
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 A big percentage of drowning happen to children who have had swimming lessons. Toddlers who accidentally fall into a pool will immediately panic and forget everything that they’ve learned about swimming.

Tip 4: Dive in and get him or her out as quickly as you can
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If your child jumps into a pool and starts to drown, dive in and get him or her out as quickly as possible. This advice may seem very silly but a lot of children die because their parents panic and freeze in place when they see their children drowning.

Tip 5: Be firm with your child.
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Tell your child that they can only get into the pool when you are with them. Teach them to ask for permission before entering a pool area, and never to go near a pool without asking an adult first. Nobody should swim alone – not even adults.

Tip 6: Put away toys, especially those with wheels, from the pool area. 
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Your children might accidentally fall into the pool while playing with these.

Tip 7: Get the right fit for floating devices.
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Children who cannot swim should have floaters just in case they jump into the pool while you are not looking. Make sure it fits well and are not too loose. Kate suggests letting your child choose their own design, so they’ll be more likely to wear it.

Photo: 123RF
Tip 8: Learn CPR and first aid. 
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Have an action plan prepared so you will know what to do in case of emergency.

Remember, when it comes to your children, safety is of utmost importance. And don’t forget to bring a bottle of sunscreen so that you and your family will be protected from the harmful rays of the sun.

READ MORE:
10 Ways To Protect Your Child Against Internet Dangers

Everything Parents Should Know About Eczema In Kids
10 Free Places For Kid’s Waterplay in Singapore

Text: Elena Chong, The Straits Times/ Additional Reporting: Shenielle Aloysis and Elizabeth Liew

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