Water Safety at Home
Whether you’re bathing your baby in the sink or splashing around with your toddler in the bathtub, water is great fun for kids. But it’s also a place where safety must come first.
Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old. And it’s the third leading cause of death among children.
Nationally, drowning ranks second only to automobile crashes in injuries and deaths, claiming the lives of approximately 4,000 children each year and leaving another 12,000 with some form of permanent brain damage.
Safety Tips
- Never leave your child unattended around water. We know it sounds strict, but there is no room for compromise on this one. Babies can drown in as little as one inch of water.
- Put the cell phone away, forget about all the other things you have to do and give young children 100 percent of your attention when they are near or around water.
- Empty all tubs, buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children’s reach.
- Keep toilet lids closed and use toilet seat locks to prevent drowning. It’s also a good idea to keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.
- Parents have a million things to do, but learning CPR should be on the top of the list. It will give you tremendous peace of mind and the more peace of mind you have as a parent, the better.