When the summer heat settles in Colorado, it’s only natural that kids and families migrate toward the water. What better antidote is there for a hot summer day than an afternoon at the reservoir or a few hours at the neighborhood pool?
While the water can offer a welcome respite, it can also pose significant danger for kids. As the No. 1 cause of death for kids aged 1 to 4 in the United States, drowning is a risk near and in pools, rivers, ponds, and lakes, and even in relatively shallow water in buckets or bathtubs.
Fortunately, parents can mitigate this risk this summer with smart drowning-prevention strategies and the right swim safety measures for kids.
Dr. Christopher Johnston, an emergency medicine physician and chief medical officer with CommonSpirit Health, shared some of the best ways to protect Colorado kids near water this summer.
The Dangers of Drowning
Infants and toddlers are at significant risk for drowning, but the danger doesn’t go away when kids age out of toddlerhood.
Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for kids aged 5 to 14. Even when drowning isn’t fatal, it can be extremely serious, leaving a child with lifelong disabilities or brain damage.
For infants, Dr. Johnston said, bathtubs and buckets are most hazardous, while preschool and older children are more at risk around pools.
Whether in the tub or at the pool, when it comes to water safety for kids, supervision is key. The average supervision lapse in a drowning case is just 16 minutes, said Dr. Johnston, who cares for drowning victims in the emergency department.
“Drowning happens in seconds to minutes and is often silent,” he said. “There isn’t a lot of splashing or crying as you might expect.”
If you notice your child struggling or losing consciousness in the water, pull them out immediately and begin administering CPR.
Water and Swim Safety for Kids
If you care for kids, there are a few key rules you can remember that may help keep a child out of a life-threatening situation.
First, try to limit kids’ access to bodies of water in the first place (that includes everything from buckets to retention ponds).
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 69% of children weren’t even expected to be in the water at the time of their drowning, meaning it’s essential to preemptively cut kids off from accidental access to water. If you or your family have a pool, make sure it’s surrounded by a four-sided fence that effectively keeps children out.
Speaking of pool safety for kids: Whether you’re swimming at home or in a public pool, designate a “water watcher” in your group to keep an eye on the kids. This person needs to be a sober adult who can monitor the kids from no more than an arm’s length distance away.
The watcher can trade off with other adults at designated points, but during a shift, a water watcher should stay off their phone and direct all of their attention toward the kids.
"If watching the kids around a pool is everyone’s job, then it is no one’s job,” Dr. Johnston said. “Assign someone whose role it is to supervise and maintain an arms length.”
When pool day rolls around, it’s also important to have an individual in your group (whether you or another parent) who’s trained to deliver CPR for kids and infants. If something does go wrong, kids should receive emergency aid as soon as possible.
The need for this kind of careful attention also applies in the bathtub. A good rule of thumb? Don’t leave your infant alone in the bath, even if they’re supported by a bath seat or ring, or they’re being watched by a sibling. These resources can’t be trusted to keep your child upright or out of the water — only careful supervision can do that.
Another helpful resource to supplement your family’s water and swimming safety skills is swim lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends lessons for children as young as 1 year old, since children’s increased mobility at this age starts to put them in danger around water.
Swim lessons can help kids build critical water safety and survival skills at an early age, lowering their risk of drowning.
“It’s important to mention, though, that swim lessons alone do not ‘drown proof’ a child,” Dr. Johnston said.
Lessons can and should be combined with other measures, like designated water watchers and limited water access, to provide the fullest measure of protection for kids.
In Colorado, families also have ample access to natural waterways like reservoirs and rivers. Even a reservoir can become dangerous when an afternoon storm kicks up, making lifejackets absolutely essential for kids and adults who are participating in watercraft or boat-based activities.
This summer, your most important tool at the pool, in the bath, or around the house is your attention. Keeping a vigilant eye on your kids and limiting their access to water can help you ensure that family time at the pool or the lake stays fun and accident-free.
