According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children between the ages of one and fourteen in the United States. While swimming pools can be hazardous to the lives of children, it is not necessary for parents to avoid purchasing houses with pools. Swimming pools can be wonderful components of a family residence, since they encourage children to play outdoors and foster the development of a valuable skill. Children can safely coexist in houses with pools as long as parents adhere to several guidelines for swimming pool safety established by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Adult Supervision Can Protect Children Around Pools
Anytime children are in a pool, parents or supervising adults must remain vigilant and never become distracted from the kids in the water. Any adult that is left in charge of supervising children that are swimming should be trained in infant and child CPR. CPR classes can be easily found in any community. The American Heart Association webpage has a search tool that can locate CPR classes across the United States.
When small children with limited swimming ability are in the water, it is critical that adults are within reach at all times. Floaties do not replace the need for adult presence and can be very dangerous since they can create a false sense of security for the child and adult. Even baby pools can pose a threat. Kids must be carefully watched since even shallow water can lead to a child drowning. Finally, toys should always be removed from the pool area following playtime. Toys left by the side of the pool create an unsafe temptation for children.
Child Barriers Enhance Pool Safety
The easiest way to protect children around pools is to have pool safety equipment including both a pool safety fence surrounding the pool and a safety cover over the water whenever the pool is not in use. When installing a pool safety fence, the gates should close automatically and the latch should not be within a child’s reach. The fence should be at least 4 feet high and surround the entire pool. If a side of the house is used to create part of the pool safety fence, it is important that an alarm be attached to any door that is along that portion of the barrier.