Childproofing every pool is a must

Column by Dr. Joel Clingenpeel, The Virginian-Pilot – 7/3/2010

POOLS ARE A SOURCE of great summertime fun, but too frequently they’re the site of preventable drownings or near drownings for young children.

As a pediatric emergency-room physician at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, I’ve already seen several such tragedies – and summer has only just begun!

Here are some pool safety tips to ensure your little ones remain safe:

• Surround your pool with a four-sided pool fence. Pools should be fenced on all four sides by at least a 4-foot nonclimbable fence with a self closing latch. The vast majority of toddlers who drown in pools walk unrecognized out their back door and into their family’s pool.

The most effective fence is one that separates the entire house/back deck from the pool itself. Consider a removable mesh fence as an attractive and economical alternative to more permanent fencing.

• Families unwilling to gate their pool on all four sides will need to set up multiple “lines of defense” between the back door and the pool. This should include a door chime, a childproof and outof-reach door lock, a self-closing self-locking door, and in some cases, an outdoor gate.

I also recommend a pool alarm, which will sound if your child accidentally falls into the pool.

• Really watch your children carefully at all times around the pool.

A well-done study revealed that when children drown, a caregiver claims to be supervising the child nearly 90 percent of the time.

In large gatherings, when adults are talking and easily distracted, designate a “water watcher” and rotate this duty. Make sure everyone understands that this person is not to be distracted from this very important job.

Never leave your child unattended around the pool, even for a second. Children can easily drown in the time it takes an adult to answer the phone.

• Enroll your child in swimming lessons. Until recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics discouraged formal swimming lessons for children younger than 4. The academy now, however, believes that age specific and appropriate swimming lessons can be beneficial to some children as young as 12 months old.

While swimming lessons are no substitute for appropriately childproofing your pool and vigilantly supervising children around water, I concur with the AAP and encourage parents of young children to enroll in local swimming classes that are developmentally appropriate.

• Do not rely on water wings and other swimming aids. Swim aids are no substitute for supervision and can create a false sense of security. Non-swimmers should have an adult within arm’s reach at all times.

• Check your drain cover.

If you own a pool manufactured before 2008, check your drain cover. While all public pools and spas are required to now have anti-entrapment drain covers, there are still many residential pools and spas which have drain designs that are capable of suction entrapment.

Suction entrapment occurs when a swimmer’s hair (and head), limbs, or other body parts get pulled down by the suction of a pool or hot tub drain. Several manufacturers have developed anti-entrapment drain covers that fit over most horizontally positioned drains.

• Be prepared for the unthinkable; learn CPR.

One of the most important factors leading to a full recovery from a near-drowning is prompt initiation of CPR. Consider a class through the American Red Cross or home training with the American Heart Association’s DVD and manikin kit called “CPR Anytime.”

Pools are sources of great fun and great danger to young children. Drownings and near drownings happen in the blink of an eye. You can never be too vigilant.

Please take the appropriate steps to ensure your pool is childproofed so that your in-home swimming fun remains just that – fun.

Dr. Joel Clingenpeel is a pediatrician emergency room physician at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters and the co-founder of Child Safety House Calls, which conducts assessments of child hazards in home and backyards throughout Hampton Roads. He can be reached at ww w.ChildSafetyHouseCalls.com or (757) 200-7233.

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About Child Safety House Calls
Child Safety House Calls is led by two emergency room pediatricians and specializes in evaluating and selling through their online child safety store safety products for childproofing your pool, drowning prevention, pool safety, childproof pool, pool fences, and pool alarms. They provide information to parents nationwide on the best pool childproofing products and methods. In Hampton Roads, Virginia, their team conducts child safety house calls to parents in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, and Williamsburg.