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Poolside? Be cool, be safe For water safety, check the layers
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By Sally J. Clasen
any adults think they have water safety in check when it comes to their kids but the sobering statistics for child drowning reveal an overlooked reality. Unintentional drowning is the No. 1 killer of children age 1-5 and the No. 2 killer for all children in Arizona. “In Maricopa County, we lose 16 kids per year — the highest number statewide,” says Tracey Fejt, R.N., Cardon Children’s injury prevention coordinator. The primary reasons for child drowning are a lack of supervision and barriers, according to Fejt. Living in Arizona also presents a unique set of challenges that increase the risk for child drowning. Almost every backyard has a pool. In addition, many people who relocate here are not familiar with having a pool or being concerned about recreational water safety. The abundance of canals, especially in Phoenix, creates another element of danger, adds Fejt. “The water in canals is deep and it moves quickly. Also, if a child falls into a canal, the sides are too steep for them to get out,” she says. Sadly, many parents and guardians think that a drowning could never happen to their family. “Child drowning can and does happen to everyone from every background and education level,“ explains Fejt. And besides pools, canals and lakes, drowning occurs in bathtubs, buckets, ice coolers and toilets. It takes layers of protection to prevent child drowning. For more information, visit www.BannerHealth.com/BannerKidsWaterSafety.
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Recommended steps to avoid
tragedy:
1. 2.
Use eye-to-eye supervision.
3.
Designate 1 parent/ adult who is not drinking or eating to actively supervise pool time.
Create barriers with fences, locking gates (min. 5 foot) and close off doggy doors.
4. 5.
Learn CPR and enroll children in swimming lessons as early as 9 months old.
Use Coast Guardapproved lifejackets; avoid floaties, which are not life-saving equipment. They are toys that create a false sense of security.
6.
Put alarms on pools, doors and windows.
Visit the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona online for information about the Water SMART Babies program and to find locations for swimming lessons, CPR classes and safety equipment training: www.preventdrownings.org/go
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TOTALKID
spring/summer 2012