Water Safety

It is that time of year when we are spending more time outdoors and trying to keep cool. That means more time in the pool, at the beach, at the water parks and in the lake. As we enjoy fun summer water activities, we should be very mindful of water safety. Oftentimes, we can get a false sense of security if there are lots of adults around, lifeguards and if our children can swim already. But, these factors do not mean that your children are not at risk. Children play in the water, sometimes roughly and can pull each other under the water, mistakenly jump on top of someone or our child may just be tired and have trouble getting to safety. Have fun in the water, but remember the follow water safety tips to keep your family safe:

1. Swim in designated safe areas only. Do not try to swim past a boundary rope or buoy that marks the safe swim areas.

2. If possible, make sure your child has a buddy to swim with. This safety tip has been around for a long time, for good reason. The buddy can help or get help if needed.

3. If you have a smaller child, make sure they have a floatie swimsuit, floaties for their arms or life vest. These items do not necessarily prevent drowning but they help children who may not be as strong swimmers.

4. Be careful where you dive. Try to do this in specifically marked areas or areas you know are deep enough for diving.

5. Make sure you drink lots of fluids. The sun can be hot and you may not feel dehydrated if you are in the water. But, you need to drink fluids all through the day. Otherwise, you could feel lethargic which is not a good thing when enjoying the water.

6. In addition to drinking lots of fluids, make sure you use lots of sunscreen and apply frequently. You should apply it 30 minutes prior to sun exposure. If you are worried about allergies and toxic ingredients for some sunscreens, go to http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ where you can enter various sunscreens to see their levels of toxicity and allergens.

7. Not only can you get dehydrated, but you can get too cool too. If the sun starts to go down and you are in cool water, be sure to watch for the signs of body temperature dropping - shivering and muscle cramping. If you have these signs, get to shore immediately.

8. Alcohol and water don't mix. Be smart and safe and don't drink when in the water or around the water. A sad statistic is that one half of all adolescent drownings are tied to alcohol. Don't let your children become a statistic.