So far this year, 24 children have drowned in the Houston area. The majority of these children were minorities. Statistics show that six out of ten black children cannot swim and 56% of Hispanics cannot swim.
If you own a pool, live near a pool or your children come in contact with a pool it is extremely important that you teach them pool safety and never leave them unattended. It is also a common misconception that just because a child can swim they are not in danger of drowning. In addition to having skill in the water they need to also follow safety tips such as no horseplay around the pool where they are likely to slip and hit their heads, no horseplay in the water especially as it involves actions that could cause them to take in a lot of water into their nose and no diving into the pool from the shallow end.
As a parent if your child spends a lot of time in or around a pool you should consider becoming certified in CPR and make sure to always keep rescue equipment (such as lifesavers) nearby. Also, remove any toys from around the pool or in the water that might lure young children. The best pools to frequent are those that have a certified lifeguard on duty.
USA Swimming has started a program called Make a Splash to help children, specifically minority children learn to swim. One of the programs biggest supporters is a young black man named Cullen Jones. The 24 year old professional swimmer will be competing in the Beijing Olympics this year. At the 2008 Olympic swimming trials, Jones broke the American record in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 21.59.
If you own a pool, live near a pool or your children come in contact with a pool it is extremely important that you teach them pool safety and never leave them unattended. It is also a common misconception that just because a child can swim they are not in danger of drowning. In addition to having skill in the water they need to also follow safety tips such as no horseplay around the pool where they are likely to slip and hit their heads, no horseplay in the water especially as it involves actions that could cause them to take in a lot of water into their nose and no diving into the pool from the shallow end.
As a parent if your child spends a lot of time in or around a pool you should consider becoming certified in CPR and make sure to always keep rescue equipment (such as lifesavers) nearby. Also, remove any toys from around the pool or in the water that might lure young children. The best pools to frequent are those that have a certified lifeguard on duty.
USA Swimming has started a program called Make a Splash to help children, specifically minority children learn to swim. One of the programs biggest supporters is a young black man named Cullen Jones. The 24 year old professional swimmer will be competing in the Beijing Olympics this year. At the 2008 Olympic swimming trials, Jones broke the American record in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 21.59.
Learning to swim is definitely a plus when it comes to pool safety however it does not guarantee that a child will not drown if they are not careful in the water. Make sure your children are smart and safe while they enjoy cooling off this summer!
No comments:
Post a Comment