IT'S YOUR CHOICE

Another child drown in Lincoln last week. Read the article: http://journalstar.com/articles/2008/07/25/news/local/doc488946d72b26a505018327.txt

This is the second toddler to drown in a backyard in Lincoln in the past two months. The Nebraska Heath and Human Services Department issued a release July 2, 2008 reporting that drowning was the Number One cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4 in the state of Nebraska. Read the release: http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/newsroom/newsreleases/2008/July/drowning.htm. Nationally, it is the number two cause of death in this age group behind choking.

There is a very real need to protect your children from drowning.

B-T offers a free online safety course: WATER SAFETY EDUCATION FOR PARENTS & CAREGIVERS. Click to get to the course home page. http://www.btaquatics.org/WATER_SAFETY_EDUCATION.htm

In addition, I've prepared and 18-Minute PowerPoint presentation on water safety. If you OPEN the presentation, it should start playing automatically; or you can SAVE it to your computer and watch it at your leisure. 18-minute PowerPoint Presentation

I get frustrated when I read the safety tips put out by some other swimming organizations. I think most stop short of "telling it like it is."

FLOTATION DEVICES

I disagree with advice to use flotation devices with adult supervision. The emphasis is always on the importance of having adult supervision. The emphasis should be on not using these devices.

DO NOT USE FLOTATION DEVICES. They are the worst pre-swimming experience a child can have and their use dramatically increases the time it takes to learn to swim. They promote a head up posture in the water. This posture is not the posture required for a relaxed floating position. The muscles remember flotation device use. It takes a long, long time to retrain them at lessons.

Flotation devices do provide a false sense of security for child and parent.

There is nothing safe or helpful about water wings. The delay learning to swim and they do not provide any lifesaving benefit. In my opinion they should be taken off the market. They are unsafe.

Parents tell me every day how "independent" their children are, and that they "swim all over the pool in their floaties with no fear." These children are not swimming. And there was a wasted swim time opportunity where they could have been learning to swim.

I could go on and on about the very real danger in using water wings, swimmies, and flotation suits. Please do not ever allow your child to use these devices.

But what about Coast Guard Approved Lifejackets? There is a saying in the pool business, "a good lifeguard is a dry lifeguard." Lifeguards try to prevent emergency situations from happening in the first place. I think of lifejackets the same way..."a good lifejacket is a dry lifejacket."

Lifejackets are to be worn to protect a child in the event of an accidental submersion - such as off a boat or dock. They are necessary pieces of lifesaving equipment. They are not toys to be used used in recreational swimming in a backyard pool.

Any type of floation devices inhibits learning to swim and learning to swim should be the priority with children - not bobbing around "swimming independently" in water where they cannot stand.

I have been teaching for many years. It is rare among non-swimming students who have not worn lifejackets or floaties for them to enter the pool without permission and assistance. It is a regular occurance among non-swimming students who have worn floaties and lifejackets to bolt into water without permission and without assistance.

Families with wet lifejackets, like wet lifeguards, should reevaluate their safety precautions and layers of protection put in place around their pools to see that both jackets and guards remain dry in the future.

POOL PARTIES ARE FOR SKILLED SWIMMERS

Pool parties are for people who can swim. Do not allow non-swimmers of any age at your pool party. Do not allow your non-swimmer to attend a pool party. This should be a hard and fast rule. At the National Recreation and Parks Association National Aquatics Convention last year, one of the speakers stated, "If you want to have a drowning, host a pool party." It is statistically true. However, again and again I see advice printed and on television about having more lifeguards and enlisting the aid of Water Watchers to prevent drownings at parties. I don't read or hear them saying, "Don't have a pool party!"

More lifeguards and watchers is always a good thing; the more people watching the better, but the way to prevent drownings at pool parties is to limit them to people who know how to swim.

A party is not the appropriate place to learn how to swim. Spend time with your non-swimming child in the pool without the excitement and distractions that are inevitable at parties and family gatherings.

A child who is restricted from participating in a pool party is not only safe, but has an additional incentive to learn how to swim.

WATER PARKS ARE FOR SKILLED SWIMMERS

My advice about non-swimmers goes for water parks too. Learn to swim in a quieter, safer environment than a water park. Advice about how to keep your non-swimmer safe at a water park typically stops short of telling you the hard truth. Your family needs to wait to visit water parks until everyone can swim. Take only skilled swimmers to a water park. If you have non-swimmers in your party, choose an activity that everyone can safely enjoy. Then get your kids to swimming lessons!

Pool access is a concern at both parties and water parks. At water parks you have the additional concern of water quality. Both concerns are covered in our online course.

I have a surveillance video showing a drowning that took place at a pool party at a guarded public facility. A non-swimmer was allowed by his parents to attend and was given a raft to be safe. The child fell off the raft and was not recovered from the bottom of the pool for five minutes. Watching this video gives you a graphic illustration of what can and does happen every day. (An average of nine children drown every day in the U.S.) I cannot check out this video, but you are welcome to come to my office to watch and learn.

Finally, parents, please say "no" to your children. They are precious gifts and need your protection.

"No, I will not catch you going off the board. You must learn to swim before you can jump off the board."

"No, you may not wear floaties, but I'll get in and swim with you. Let's practice your backfloat."

"No, you may not attend the pool party until you can swim 25 yards unassisted."

"No, we cannot have a pool party because your brother can't swim yet. Let's go bowling instead."

"No, we can't go to Fun Plex pool until you are a stronger swimmer. Let's go miniature golfing."

"No, you may not go swimming now. We have to keep the gate locked to the pool because Cousin Sally can't swim. Play on the swingset."

You may be the only parent who holds firm to keeps your child safe. Other parents may allow flotation devices, and attendance at parties, and jumping off the board with a ring, long days at the water park, and the wearing of a lifejacket to keep the child "safe" in the backyard pool.

Those parents are not responsible for the safety of your child. It's your choice.

If you have any questions about water safety or learn to swim issues, please give me a call. I am here to help.

Take the time to complete the Water Safety Course and watch the video.

Be safe.

-jn