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Water Safety for Spring
by the Paranoid Sisters
Reading the news story, "Three year-old drowns in 4 inches of water,"
is saddening. Regardless of education programs, according to the
National SAFE KIDS Campaign drowning remains the leading cause of
unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1- 4 years (the
second leading cause of death among children ages 14 and under). It
appears the three year-old child was trying to retrieve some toys at
the bottom of a 32-gallon garbage can which also had collected about
four inches of water. The child fell into the can and was unable to
get out. Totally sad, totally preventable.
It was about this time last year that we read that story, and as the
winter months are waning and spring is blossoming our little ones are
playing outside more and more. Here we’ll cover water safety unrelated
to swimming pools.
Some scary statistics*:
1. For every child who drowns, an additional four are hospitalized for
near-drowning and for every hospital admission, approximately four
children are treated in hospital emergency rooms.
2. More than half of drownings among infants (under age 1) occur in
bathtubs. Drownings in this age group also occur in toilets and
buckets.
3. More than 327 children, 89 percent between the ages of 7 and 15
months, have drowned in buckets containing water or other liquids used
for mopping floors and other household chores since 1984.
4. Approximately 10 percent of childhood drownings occur in bathtubs;
and the majority of these occur in the absence of adult supervision.
Use these tips to keep your little ones safe around water.
1. Never leave a child unsupervised in or around water in the home.
Not even for a moment to answer the telephone. Don’t rely on older
siblings to supervise little ones in the tubs.
2. Keep your shower door closed when not in use.
3. Don’t leave your toddler alone on the potty. Keep the toilet seat
down or put locks on if possible (locks may be difficult if you have
older children who are not able to operate them).
4. Keep the bathroom door closed when not in use so infants and
toddlers don’t have access without help from an adult.
5. Empty buckets of liquids immediately after use and store buckets
upside down so water can not collect in them.
6. Survey your yard before letting your child out to play. Empty out
any water that has collected in any buckets, garbage cans, toys,
wheelbarrows, etc.
A little common sense and a few minutes of prevention patrol can save
your child’s life.
To read how The Paranoid Sisters keep safe around the pool, click here.
*Source: National SAFE KIDS Campaign
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