COLORADO SPRINGS — As the weather warms up, many pools are opening for the summer. But did you know that drowning is one of the most common causes of death for children ages 1-4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?
That’s why it’s important to make sure you have a plan that will keep your child safe in the water.
News5 had the chance to speak with Emily Schroeder, a certified local infant swimming resource instructor who has lots of insight on what parents can do to keep their children safe while swimming this summer.
She said there are four rules to keep in mind.
- Always have parental supervision. Eyes on your children in the water is important
- Secondly, putting up a fence or a barrier in front of the pool can make it harder for the child to get to the water
- Third, you want to have something to alert you, like an alarm or something your child wears in case they end up in the water
- Lastly, make sure your child knows what to do if they end up in the water alone
There are infant swimming resource instructors who teach children how to self-rescue if they end up in a scary situation in the water alone.
“So, children as young as 6 months old, can learn how to roll over and float and hold that float until someone is able to come and get them,” said Schroeder. “Once they’re walking, they can learn what we call the 'swim, float, swim.' So, they will swim, roll and float to rest and wait until someone can get them or if they’re close enough back to stairs or a wall or an edge.”
Schroeder says if your child is going to a public pool for the day, it can be helpful to make sure their swim attire is a bright color as opposed to blue. This will help the lifeguards to keep an eye on your child.
For more safety tips or to learn how you can sign up for infant swimming resource classes with Schroeder visit here.
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