What child doesn’t want to have a little bit of enjoyment in a swimming pool? Almost everyone (including those who are kids-at-heart) loves to have a plunge every now and then.On a more serious note, accidental drowning is almost often too real. The grief becomes unbearable whenever a kid is involved.How many times have we heard the grieving parents or adults that the accident would not have happened had they been more watchful?
As adults, we are accountable in making sure that children should not go near the pool, less alone swim in them, whenever there is no one around to watch over them.The safety of children when in or around a swimming pool therefore rests on the shoulder of adults.
Precautionary measures include:
- Putting up a pool fence.
- Install locks that are unreachable for children.
- Installing a secure pool cover.
- Installing pool lights.
- First aid kit, shepherds hook, life preservers, and even a telephone are lifesaving equipments that can be easily accessed.
- Pool decks should be made of non-slip materials.
- No rough games during swimming.
- Swimming alone is not allowed.
- Have children, particularly toddlers, wear life vests when swimming.
On the other hand, we sometimes forget that swimming pool chemicals can also pose as a hazard to children’s health.keep in mind that the danger sign is printed on the label for a reason, which is why you should not overlook this part of the safety process.
Precautionary measures for swimming pool chemicals include:
- Making sure if the bottle or receptacle is properly and tightly sealed.
- Totally inaccessible to children by making sure that it is in a locked place.
- Storing the bottles and packs in a place that is airy, cool and dry.
Don’t allow people particularly children to use the pool while it is being treated.Spending money on swimming pool chemical test kits is really worth it. Just make sure that you change the chemicals every year.
In general, all the precautionary measures plus swimming lessons can help save children from accidental drowning but being alert whenever children are around or in the pool is also best.