Child Health And Safety Articles

Top 3 tested practices you should not avoid to keep infants safe in a swimming pool

By Helen T. Patty - November 2010

Did you know the best way to distinguish the "Musts" from the "Shoulds" for the baby pool safety equipment?

Have you made your checklist? Allow me to share the actual baby-proofing items that must be on the must-have list.

Young children lack the cognitive capacity to discern danger. It's the adults responsibility to protect these curious and energetic explorers from entering any body of water without supervision.

Luckily, many proactive strategies are out there providing multiple layers of protection to assist prevent a young child "accidentally" falling in the family pool or any body of water.

Guidance, along with barriers (including double door locks, door alerts, pool alarms and perimeter yard fencing), pool safety fencing, gentle swimming instruction and CPR/water safety awareness may help keep our kids safe.

Here( worth focusing on) are 3 baby proofing items you "must" need to keep your baby safe:

1. Supervision by adults inside and outside of your home is key. Always know where your children are. Around water, stay close while keeping constant attention and don't leave a child unattended even for a second. Never assume somebody else is watching your kids.

2. Barriers leading to the pool must be installed and maintained. Capabilities of small children change daily. Today they sit, tomorrow they crawl. Toddlers can slip through an unlocked door in the time it takes to answer the phone. Door and pool alarms can alert adults of unauthorized access.

A see through mesh type fence should entirely surround the pool area, with a minimum height of 48 inches. This pool safety fence is very important in separating one's home and all of it's exits from your pool.

Approved pool safety covers another layer of protection. Perimeter yard fences should have self-closing and self-latching gates.

3. Infant child CPR and medical certification are needed for all those parents and caregivers. Prepare an urgent situation plan and in the event of an accident stay calm and react with ease.

Maintain a conveyable phone by the pool and post emergency numbers including 911 on all phones. Keep all toys and games etc. out of the pool when not in use. Keep tricycles and wheel toys out of your pool area. It's never too early to instruct your kids pool rules.

These are the most important baby safety equipment items and methods available. Consider them just as one important investment your family will enjoy in the numerous years of growth and exploration still ahead of you.

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