What Your Family Needs to Know About Summer Water Safety

Goldfish Swim School – Mundelein is a Little Lake County sponsor. Content was provided by Goldfish Swim School – Mundelein.

Last week, we joined forces with our friends at Goldfish Swim School Mundelein, Zion Cyclery, Great Lakes Surf Rescue, Way 2 Good Life and Advocate Medical Center’s Dr. Martha P. Arroyo of Lakeside Dermatology for a Summer Safety Facebook Chat. 40+ participants chatted for an hour about a variety of summer safety topics that every family needs to be aware of — including water safety, sun safety, playground safety, bike safety and more! Local experts and REAL moms shared their thoughts on how parents can keep their little ones safe while we all go out and enjoy summer!

For the folks at Goldfish Swim School Mundelein, safety is always on their minds. In fact, a portion of every lesson is spent working with students on basic water safety skills. May is recognized as Water Safety Awareness Month. This is a time to ensure that every family is educated when it comes to water safety as we prepare for beach and pool season. So, what do parents really need to know when it comes to water safety? What can we do to make sure that our kids are safe anytime they are around water? How do we have fun in the water while also ensuring that everyone plays it safe?

Here were some of the most important water safety takeaways from our chat:

When it comes to drowning, the statistics are pretty staggering. Drowning is the leading cause of injury death to children ages one to four—and the second leading cause of injury death for children ages one to 14, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What’s more, statistics show that thousands of children are hospitalized each year for nonfatal drowning incidents, with a significant number sustaining lifelong, profound, permanent brain damage. Also, a child can drown in as little as one inch of water and in as little time as 20 seconds.

Please note these practical water safety tips that all parents and caregivers need to know:

• Any time kids are around water, designate a “water watcher” who will avoid cell phones, conversations, magazines and anything else that might distract the adult from watching swimming children EVERY SINGLE SECOND. After all, most children who drown are supervised.
• The American Red Cross says that the number one thing that parents can do to keep kids safe around water is to enroll them in swim lessons. Swimming is an essential life-saving skill with numerous physical, mental and intellectual benefits.
• Get swim lessons for yourself or any other caregiver who cannot swim or is afraid of water.
• Realize that floaties, noodles and plastic inner tubes do NOT protect against drowning. They are created as water toys, not life-saving devices. Life jackets should be designated as U.S. Coast Guard-approved.
• Know that even the most seasoned swimmers can still encounter trouble. Make sure swimmers don’t over-estimate their skills and that they understand the importance of staying hydrated at all times.

Regardless of skill level, here are some MANDATORY water safety skills that all parents and adults must be familiar with:

• Climbing out of the pool safely: Elbow, elbow, tummy, knees!
• Holding on to the wall and walking their hands along the wall to safety: the steps or ladder.
• Rolling over from a front float to a back float.
• Jumping off the side of the pool, swimming to the parent, turning themselves around and swimming back to the wall. Teaching to get back to the side of the pool quickly is an essential safety skill.

Now is the time to prepare for a safer summer. On May 14, 2016, Goldfish Swim School Mundelein is hosting their first annual Safety Day event. This event is free and open to the public. In addition to safety demonstrations, highlights include a bounce house, open swim and more! For more information, please visit: mundelein.goldfishswimschool.com.

Goldfish Swim School Mundelein provides swim instruction to children ages 4 months to 12 years in a unique setting with highly trained instructors, small class sizes, shiver-free 90-degree pools, and a state-of- the-art water purification system. For more information or to register for lessons, please visit Goldfish Swim School provides swim instruction to children ages 4 months to 12 years in a unique setting with highly trained instructors, small class sizes, shiver-free 90-degree pools, and a state-of- the-art water purification system. For more information or to register for lessons, please visit mundelein.goldfishswimschool.com.