In Florida, its that time of year where everyone is either searching for shade or heading to a body of water to cool off. Summers are hot, hot, hot and diving into the swimming pool can be a great way to escape the heat. Swimming in the pool, ocean, spring, or water park can all be fun ways to stay active and cool. Whatever the body of water though, being safe and taking all precautionary measures are important.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) feels strongly that parents should never- even for a second, leave children unattended near open bodies of water, nor near water in homes (bathtubs, spas). Adults should actively watch children near water. For infants and toddlers, the AAP states that an adult should be in the water at an arm’s reach, providing “touch supervision.” The supervising adult must also know how to swim.
Stay safe around water. According to American Red Cross, the best thing you can do to help your family stay safe near water is to enroll in age-appropriate swim lessons, which you can find here, http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/swimming. Swim lessons help prevent drowning, which is a leading cause of death among children, including infants and toddlers. 
Making water safety your priority. Public swimming pools often have a list of rules that one must follow in order to swim there. These rules often have specific reasons for enforcement and ultimately are meant to ensure the safety of all who swim there. Enforcing rules at one’s own home pool, for the same reasons can be important, like no running on the pool deck. Along with this, installing pool fences can prevent small children from entering the pool area on their own. Some other ways to stay safe around water include:
- Wearing life jackets when boating
- Having young children and inexperienced swimmers wear life jackets
- Parents learning CPR in the case of an emergency
- Swimming in designated areas supervised by lifeguards
- Always following the posted rules for water usage areas (such as pools, beaches, and water parks)
- Never letting children swim alone
For more information, visit Healthy Children.org Swimming Pool Safety here, https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Swimming-Pool-Safety.aspx, or Infant Swimming Safety here, https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Infant-Swimming-Video.aspx.
Additionally, the American Red Cross Association has information on water safety located here, http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety.
