Drowning is the leading cause of death in young children. It can happen quickly, silently, and suddenly. When your child is in the pool, be sure to have a designated “water watcher”. Lifeguards are great, but if you are at a public place with plenty of people, it doesn’t hurt to have a second pair of eyes on your child.
Follow these guidelines to protect your child in the water:
- Empty water containers when you are done using them
- This includes bathtubs, wading pools, and even buckets of water. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water, so eliminate the risk as much and as fast as you can.
- Block access to bathrooms
- The bathroom is a hotbed for drowning and injury! There are toilets, scalding hot water, and multiple dangers for your child. Think about putting a child lock on the door for when it is not in use.
- Supervision
- This includes not only having a designated water watcher but keeping your child (particularly toddlers) at arms-length of the supervising adult at all times. The bathtub in particular is a place where toddlers should not be left alone.
- Fence in your pools!
- Say it again for the people in the back: Fence in your pools!!
- Life jackets
- Have your child wear a life jacket. This especially applies for lakes and beaches.
- When you are somewhere new, check for water dangers
- Do a quick scan when you go somewhere new and make sure there is no water your child could get into.
We always get a lot of questions about dry drowning or secondary drowning. These terms have become more and more prominent in the news and social media. But the truth is dry drowning is not a medically accepted condition and every proposed case of dry drowning has been found to have a medically recognized diagnosis. This term has become very popular on social media, and causes widespread fear, but all parents need to know is if your child is coughing or acting sick after being in the water, take them to the doctor to be observed. They are most likely fine, but being cautious does not hurt.
Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care has 10 locations in Texas. We are happy to announce that we will be opening a location in New Braunfels this summer, located at 312 FM 306, New Braunfels TX, 78130
We are open from 9am–9pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-6pm on Sat., and 10am-6pm on Sun. For more information, please call 210.543.7334. We welcome walk-ins, accept most insurance plans and are proud to be accredited by the Urgent Care Association!
