ZERO TO FIVE IN 60 SECONDS
Quick tips for parents of young children
By MARK SULLIVAN, Executive Director, Michigan 4C Association
Q: Kids love water and my three-and-a-half-year-old is no exception. How do I fit her for a life jacket?
A: Among all age groups, children from zero to four have the highest rate of drowning, and the fit of a PFD (personal flotation device, or life jacket) can make a huge difference.
Test a young child’s PFD for the correct fit by grabbing the jacket at the nape - behind the child’s neck - with both hands and lifting. As you lift, the child and jacket should come up together. If her arms go up and she slides out of the jacket, the jacket should be refitted or replaced.
Michigan state law requires PFDs on any child through age six when he or she is on or around the deck area of a boat. They are also good for older children and adults.
Back at the beach or around the pool, young children need constant supervision, because it takes just a few inches of water and less than a minute for a child to drown. According to the National Safety Council most drowning or near-drowning happens when a child is unattended in a bathtub or falls into a pool. National Safety Council has other good recommendations for parents:
- Pick up toys from in and around the pool when not in use. Toys can attract children to the pool.
- Install barriers around the pool to offer added protection against drowning. If you use a pool cover, drain the surface of the cover, as a child can drown in very small amounts of water.
- Enroll children over age three in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors. But keep in mind that lessons don't make your child "drown-proof."
- Be prepared for an emergency.
- Never consume alcohol when operating a boat.
- Always have a first-aid kit and emergency phone contacts handy. Parents should be trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
Great Lakes beaches can be particularly dangerous after storms create rip currents. Heed posted warnings and swim only where lifeguards are on duty. And it’s always a good precaution to check the area yourself, no matter how safe it looks, before letting children play in the waves or taking them into the water to swim with you.
Check out this Web site for more water and other summer safety tips: www.safekids.org.