Why You Should Discuss Water Safety at Your Child’s Next Wellness Visit?

With the summer approaching, children always look forward to swimming with family and friends at local pools and backyards; however, recent statistics reveal that parents and children must understand the risks involved while swimming in pools and bathtubs. 

Triathlon water safety experts in Western Australia recommend that swimming and water safety knowledge can significantly reduce a child’s drowning risk and provide them with skills that may one day save a life. 

Statistics show children aged 1–4 years have the highest drowning rates. The majority of drownings in children happen in swimming pools. Drowning can happen even when children are not expected to be around water, such as when they gain unsupervised access to pools. 

That’s why you should look for lifeguards for hire in Western Australia if you have a personal pool and your kid is learning to swim. Fatal drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1-4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children 5-14 after motor vehicle crashes.

Importance of water safety

People drown when excess water gets into their lungs. When that happens, the lungs cannot pump oxygen into the blood, leading to little or no oxygen reaching the brain and the rest of the body.

Drowning can be sudden and happen so quickly that it leaves little time for someone to act. Drowning is typically silent and is not easy to identify. A struggling or distressed swimmer often cannot shout for help as their respiratory system is trying to breathe. The swimmer’s arms are generally underwater, helping to push the body toward the surface. 

Hence, it can be difficult for parents and others to understand if a child is drowning. That’s why a child’s understanding of water safety is very important rather than searching for lifeguards for hire in Western Australia.

Water safety rules that children should be taught to follow

Here are some safety rules by experts that children should follow every time they are near water:

1. First and foremost, important – never swim alone!

2. Always swim within reach of a lifeguard and in areas marked for swimmers to use.

3. School authorities should ensure the premises’ swimming pool has a lifeguard appointed. If not, look for lifeguards for hire in Western Australia.

4. Wear protective gear like a life jacket when playing in open water areas like beaches, ponds, or lakes.

5. Never pretend to be drowning. The lifeguard may not take you seriously when the actual incident happens. 

6. Learn to swim. Schools should ensure kids undergo school water safety WA sessions.

7. Don’t swim or play in the water in the dark.

8. Children must be made aware of the dangers of rip currents and taught how to escape them. 

9. Teach them to swim parallel to the shore to escape the rip currents and then swim at an angle back to shore to escape the currents.

10. Triathlon water safety experts in Western Australia advise parents, teens, and fellow children to know where rescue equipment is kept around the pool and how to use it. 

11. Teaching kids how to throw rescue equipment to a distressed swimmer is important, rather than jumping in to help.

The bottom line

Teaching school water safety to kids in WA should be taken very seriously. It’s good to teach your child about water safety and how to swim from a young age. It will help them understand the dangers in the water and know how to behave. 

Swimming is one of the non-negotiable life skills that parents should look to acquire for their children as soon as possible for home or school water safety in WA. While a range of extra-curricular skills activities are essential for children to develop as rounded individuals, none are as vital and fundamental as learning to swim. 

Furthermore, knowing First aid is another essential skill set for the entire family to learn. If you know how to perform CPR and how to act in case of an emergency, it could save your child’s life. Contact West Coast Water Safety to learn more about Triathlon water safety in Western Australia.

Preschool Water Safety Tips For 2024

Who does not love playing in the water? Playing in water is fun but can also be dangerous, especially for small kids if they are unaware of the school water safety rules in WA

Death and injury from drownings can happen anywhere: at home pools, in bathtubs, at the beach, lakes, rivers, streams, or even in buckets. 

Preschool children can even get into much trouble about water if not supervised or left unattended near water bodies. 

Preschool water safety tips 

Here are some expert tips from the best aquatic safety training academy. Following these will reduce the chances of any accidents related to water.

Never leave a child unsupervised.

Looking away for your child to get into trouble in the water only takes one second. An amazing aquatic safety training tip is giving your child undivided attention when in or around the water. Drowning can occur in a matter of seconds and often silently.

Keep your children close.

Always keep your child within reach while in the water. Teach them school water safety rules in WA

Know how to perform CPR.

Knowing how to perform CPR is great when taking kids out for activities, including swimming and playing in the water. Learning to perform CPR from a certified aquatic safety training academy is a good idea.

Teach them basic swimming skills.

Babies as young as four months can learn swimming skills. Teaching your child to swim and follow water safety rules in WA keeps them safe around water. Always be nearby and keep a close watch on them while they swim. 

Teach them the importance of life jackets.

If a child does not know how to swim, teach him to wear a life jacket when in the water and understand the concept of water safety in WA. Pool floaties give children a false sense of security; hence, life jackets are the best options for kids, whether in a pool, lake, or ocean.

Always swim with a buddy.

Teach kids always to be accompanied by someone in the water as an important water safety rule in WA. Swimming alone can be unsafe and dangerous and can lead to drowning. An adult should always be present in the water with the child.

Know what to do in an emergency:

The experts from the aquatic safety training academy suggest that if you find a child missing, check the water first. Knowing every second is important in preventing death or disability. Some other tips to act fast during a water emergency are:

  • Call for the lifeguard, if available.
  • Identify the signs of someone in trouble and immediately call for help. A distressed swimmer shows the following signs :
    • Is not making forward progress in the water and bobbing up and down
    • Is vertical in the water but unable to move or tread water.
    • Mouth at water level whereas head low in the water.
    • Hyperventilating or gasping.
  • Rescue and remove the person from the water (ensuring your safety first). 
  • Tell someone to call emergency medical services (EMS).
  • Check for breathing and perform CPR. 
  • Use an AED (Automated external defibrillation) and transfer care to advanced life support if available. 
  • Aquatic safety training can help you prepare yourself to handle any such mishap. 

Conclusion

As Preschoolers advance, they develop enough independence to dress, feed, and even toilet themselves. Yet they still require guidance and supervision from their parents or caregivers to stay safe. School water safety WA awareness plays an important role in establishing a secure environment around water. 

Make children aware of water safety and competency to create a safe learning environment while enjoying the fun. Teaching swimming skills, being water smart, and assisting others in water activities makes water activities safer and just as much fun. Contact West Coast Water Safety to learn more about aquatic safety training practices.