pool safety

Taking your tots to the local swimming hole may not be as exciting as the one that set the seen for the love affair between Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson in Little Children, but afternoons of Marco Polo and creative diving board tricks will keep you interested. Though lifeguards and management companies are responsible for public pools’ cleanliness and safety, there are several precautions families should take to ensure a great experience.

Before entering a public pool, parents should:

• Look to see that the pool water is clean and clear. If you can’t see the bottom drain, the pool is not clean enough to enter.
• Make sure the drain covers comply to the new VGB Act. The new covers should have either a domed shape or large grates to prevent swimmers from being entrapped under water.
• Ensure that the pool staff have updated certifications in CPR and First Aid.
• Keep sick children out of the pool. Even with a swim diaper, tykes with diarrhea can spread waterborne, disease- causing germs such as Cryptosporidium (Crypto).

For tips once your tot has entered the pool, read more

All a youngster needs to hear is the words, "swimming pool," to dash in and slip into a bathing suit. For parents, an open body of water means entertaining the "what ifs" that can cause stress and panic. Even well skilled wee swimmers fall victim to tragedy in an unsupervised pool.

Gossip Girl's very pregnant Kelly Rutherford is in a battle with her estranged husband, Daniel Giersch, over pool safety at his residence. Concerned for her 2-year-old son, Hermes' safety, the actress went as far as hiring a private eye to tape her ex's home for three days to illustrate the danger his uncovered pool poses to their young son. In court documents, Giersch said:

Hermes is not in any danger whatsoever with regard to my pool because I have the pool fully covered with an automatic pool cover. Hermes has no access to the pool area unless I take him to the pool myself.

Would you allow your child to stay or visit a home with an uncovered pool?
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When I take my kids swimming, I'm usually a bit on edge, as my son is attracted to the pool's edge. For parents who want to safeguard their children around water, particularly if they have a pool in their own backyard, this turtle band sensor alerts moms and dads if their lil rascal slips into the pool. Secure Baby's Child Water Safety Alarm ($150) works similar to a baby monitor. A soft turtle wristband is fastened to the tot's arm, and if he ends up getting wet, the base sounds. The set comes with one turtle band, but parents with multiple children can purchase additional ones ($60). While this product acts as an extra method of protection for kids, it should only be used in addition to adult supervision.

Supervising your children while they swim is a given, but what about once they get out of the pool? A South Carolina boy died one hour after swimming. According to an NBC report, fourth grader, Johnny Jackson died of asphyxiation by drowning, also known as dry drowning after he walked home from his local pool with his mother, had a bath and retired to bed for a nap. Dry drowning, which amounts for about 10 to 15 percent of all drownings or near drownings, occurs after a person swallows fresh or salt water, meaning it can happen even after a tot has been in the tub. And, the child doesn't have to ingest large amounts of fluid so parents should look for warning signs — difficulty breathing, extreme fatigue and abnormal behavior.