Summer Water Safety
A health tip by Richard Gould, M.D., board-certified Pediatrician with Sutter Independent Physicians.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children and adolescents
In Sacramento Summer usually means temperatures in the triple digits so how do kids like to keep cool? Water of course.
Here are a few tips to make sure your child stays safe while keeping cool.
- Children should be taught to swim by a certified swimming instructor.
- An adult should always supervise young children who are in or around a pool.
- If you have a pool or pond in your backyard, make sure you install a four-foot safety fence and keep the gate locked.
- If you have a cover over your pool, remove it completely before anyone gets into the pool.
- A child can drown in an inch of water so even toddler pools can pose a risk and should be emptied after every use.
- Young children can easily overheat in spas and should not be permitted to use them.
- Do not allow children to rough house in the pool or run on wet concrete where accidents can easily occur.
- Older children and teens should always swim with a buddy - never alone.
- When going to the local water park make sure your child goes down the slide face up and feet first.
- Make sure your child wears a life jacket if boating or playing in a river, lake or ocean. The life jacket should fit snugly and not allow the child's chin or ears to slip through the neck opening

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