Fans are mourning together with singer Granger Smith after the father of three revealed the tragic news, that his youngest, 3-year-old son River, died last week.
The Smiths are not the only family who have had to deal with such a tragedy.
The CDC says that drowning is the leading cause of death for children under 4 (except congenital anomalies).
In light of this, we are sharing some important water safety tips.
Water safety tips:
Here are a few water safety tips which we as parents can do to prevent such a tragic occurrence and ensure that your time spent at the pool is a happy and safe time for everyone.
Supervision
Never leave a child alone in or around water – be it the pool, ocean or even in the bath! Be watchful and keep an observant eye on the children around water, keep pool gates locked or cover your pool with a certified pool net. A basic course in first aid and CPR will also make a difference in the outcome of an incident should the skills be applied timeously.
Barriers
Having multiple layers of safety around pool and spa areas or any other open bodies of water (such as a safety net, a closed fence and a surface alarm) can prevent tragic accidents.
Prevention is better than cure!
Make sure that these barriers are well maintained and properly fitted at all times. Also make sure that when your kids are swimming over at a neighbour or family member’s home that these are in place.
Swimming lessons
My daughter has started swimming lessons recently and the first lessons she learnt was how to climb out of the pool and how to float on her back.
Children should actually learn to swim as soon as possible. It’s important for them to be trained in survival skills such as floating and treading water and even if they are able to do so, constant supervision is still always necessary.
Finally and this goes without saying – remember the sunhats and sunblock AND don’t forget to have fun!