Fun in the sun, but make it safe!
The sun is out, summer is here, long weekends away are upon us, and you and your little are likely to spend some time in or around water. Splashing and playing in water is amazing for baby’s development, and toddlers generally love to stomp around and explore the beach, but before we dive in to the water, let’s dive into some safety tips!
Did you know that the toddler years are the highest risk for water-related injuries and accidents? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4 years. Check out healthychildren.org for more about water safety. So let’s be diligent about water safety with these little independent beach explorers.
Always wear a life jacket
The American Red Cross has some great informational videos about water safety, and as they say: “Don’t just pack it, wear your jacket!” Any time your child is around water they should be wearing an age-appropriate flotation device. Make sure to use the right size, secure appropriately, and ensure it is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard for optimal safety.
Use touch supervision near water
It can be tempting to just sit back and relax in your beach chair and keep a casual eye on your little splashing around near the shore, but during these early years it is crucial to maintain touch supervision at all times near water. This means always have a hand on your water baby to allow you to act quickly if something unexpected happens.
All hands on deck!
Assign a “water watcher”
This is a good idea when in groups of multiple kids and multiple adults. The concept is this: one responsible adult is tasked with constant, undistracted surveillance of the water and all kids around it for a defined amount of time. Then you switch. If everyone spends a little time on “water watcher” duty it ensures that at all times there is at least one person is ready to respond in the case of a rouge wave or inadvertent dive into the deep end!
I’ll gladly sign up to be the “water watcher” for this cutie! :)
Learn CPR
I can’t stress enough how important this is. As a healthcare provider I am required to be CPR certified and to re-certify every 2 years to stay current and up to date. CPR is a vital skill that you will hopefully never need to use, but can be lifesaving if an emergency arises. I recommend signing up for a class for in-depth training, but in the meantime, check out the Red Cross’s resources for some tips before you hit the pool.
The American Red Cross has classes, handouts, resources, and tips for infant/child CPR—check out the website!
Other considerations to be super safe
It is a good idea to have your child go through swimming lessons to learn safety and independence around the water. Also remember, too much sun is no fun! Bring shade, take breaks to cool down inside, and limit direct sun exposure with appropriate sun gear, hats, and umbrellas. Use reef-safe sunscreen to protect your little’s skin, and bring lots of water to keep everyone hydrated!
Now that we’ve covered some water safety basics, zip up that life jacket, slather on the baby Bum, grab your little’s hand and splish-splash in the water for some safe summer fun in the sun!
TL;DR
Summer means sunshine, weekends away, and pool time. Water play is so much fun and good for your little one’s development, but the toddler years are the highest risk for water-related injuries and accidents—so let’s be safe!
Always wear your life jacket (make sure it is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Use touch supervision around water. Keep one hand on your babe at all times around water to be able to act immediately in case something unexpected happens.
Assign a “water watcher” who is a responsible adult keeping a watchful eye on all the water babies to respond quickly in case of emergency.
Learn CPR—take a class, it could save a life! But in the meantime check out the Red Cross’s resources.
Do swim lessons, wear reef-safe sunscreen, take time in the shade, and stay hydrated for fun in the sun!