It’s common sense to know that a child should never go swimming in a regular pool without any supervision, but many Canadians may think that kiddie pools are a completely safe option for kids to enjoy all by themselves. This assumption is incorrect and can be very dangerous.
Shallow pools of water are one of the easiest and most safe ways of introducing children to becoming familiar being in water, but only when accompanied by a supervisor. To adults, kiddie pools and shallow water are completely harmless, but to a young child, it is anything but that.
- The second most common cause of death among Canadian children aged 1-5 is drowning.
- A small child can drown in only 1 inch of water.
- Young children can drown in under 10 seconds.
These three alarming facts are exactly why no matter how deep or seemingly harmless a kiddie pool or wading pool may look, no body of water is ever completely safe from an incident.
If there is one golden rule to keep in mind after reading this article it is this:
No matter what, children in or around water, swimming or wading, require 100% of an adult's attention, even if they are playing around in only one inch of water.
This rule can help prevent over 90% of child drowning incidents - It is that simple!
For more information on how else you can help keep swimming children safe, visit this website by the Canadian Pediatric Society.
Water safety for young children | Caring for kids (cps.ca)
We hope you keep this article and its message in mind the next time you and your family go swimming. Stay safe and happy swimming Bradford West Gwillimbury!
