[carolynpep73]

My county in SW FL has lost 5 children in the past few months due to drowning. Today a 4 year old girl passed away after being discovered in her neighbor's pool by her older sister. The neighbor was not at home at the time. Drowing is a such a sad, preventable death that leaves loved ones wondering how anything like this could have happened.

I live in an area that is surrounded by water. We have canals, lakes, rivers, The Gulf of Mexico, and lots and lots of pools. I know that the readers of this post are more than aware of the risks of drowning and very educated on how to prevent it in their own children.

I wrote this post as more of a remider to myself to watch those kids like a hawk around the water. Never depend on floaties, rafts, or swim vests. Don't ever assume that you'll hear your child flailing in the pool. Drowing is a silent death. If you are a pool owner, please make sure the access to your pool is well guarded from entry by curious children who wander away from their caretakers. Install the gates, the locks, and the pool alarms.

Enjoy swimming safely!!! Carolyn

[cmfayz]

Thank you for posting this. I just read about a 2 year old in my area drowning in the backyard pool. All the adults in the house thought someone else was watching him. It is so sad!!!

[mamaskoby]

I too know someone who lost her 1 year old daughter in her own backyard pool. Be very careful with pools and get extra security....Be extra safe!

[angel_bayou]

This is such a tragedy for everyone involved when this happens!! We live all around water as well and I'm surprised we don't have more drownings here because i often pass along the bayou to see kids swimming in it with no parents in sight!! You just never know when something can happen!!

[cbmstephanie]

Thanks for posting. We go to our lake cabin every weekend and I have to admit that the water scares me to death. We have a rule that no child leaves the cabin without their lifejacket on, but we all know how easily they can be distracted and it only takes a minute for them to disappear. I don't want to feel like I have to have my children live in a cocoon, but water is one of the things that really scares me!

[akasohappy]

Our pool is really stressing me out right now with DD.
I am afraid to leave her with anyone because I am afraid she will get out to the pool.
We have gates, alarms, etc., but I still don't feel comfortable.
I am so sorry to hear about so many little lives lost in your area.

[hopin4ababy]

We live in Florida and have a pool. All of my children have been enrolled in the Infant Swim Resource program and all have been given the skills to atleast have a chance if they fell in the water. Thankfully we never had a scare but I felt this was an additional safety measure along with our pool fence and alarm system. Check into it....the program is really amazing....especially if you have a pool or lake behind you. Ali

[kathleenmarie]

it breaks my heart to hear of all these deaths year after year. we enrolled our son in swim lessons. he starts tomorrow. i had to fight for it. my hubby didnt think it was needed because we dont have a pool, but many of the children that died didnt have pools in their yard either. Safe t Swim, (the program in our area), at least gives them a chance by teaching them to swim to the side, hold thier breath, and float. I cant wait to get him started. I would have done it sooner if I could. I have worked with chikdren who are MR now from a fall in the pool. Ugh!

[mommyto2guatboys]

Thanks for posting this, I think it is good for everyone to have a water saftey reminder. I am a freak about water. I used to lifeguard when I was younger and I have seen so many bad things and how quickly they can happen. If we are near a pool I watch my kids like a hawk, I don't let anyone else have responsibility of them when around water, no way, I just can't 100% trust anyone else when water is involved. I can hardly even go to a hotel pool and watch unsupervised children swim, because I feel so responsible and want to yell at them for everything!!

-Magen
My family!

[alreadylove2005]

bumping for the holiday weekend....

[annaguat]

Originally Posted by carolynpep73

Don't ever assume that you'll hear your child flailing in the pool. Drowing is a silent death. Carolyn

My now 11 yr old fell in as a baby and the time it took me to get to her and lift her up I could see her up right in the water about a foot under the surface. Her little arms paddeling but not breaking the water's surface. It was silent. Totally silent. Very scarey sight but it brought home the fact that drowing is a silent death. Thank you Carolyn for reminding us about water safety. Anna

[dance_muffin]

It is so heartbreaking to read of any child drowning. I have to applaud my township for the stringent pool codes that they enforce. My pool is enclosed with a non-climbable fence; has a child-proof self locking door; can't have more than a half inch space between where the ground meets the fence.

Even with alarms, I am still always on my toes; it can happen in a few seconds.

I did read about the swim school that teaches children how to get out of the pool and in their clothes or pjs. Also teaches very young children to float on their backs for long periods of time; until someone can get them out of the pool.

Thank you for posting this reminder.

[annaguat]

Originally Posted by dance_muffin

I did read about the swim school that teaches children how to get out of the pool and in their clothes or pjs. Also teaches very young children to float on their backs for long periods of time; until someone can get them out of the pool.

My older children went through training like that when they were little(babies). It works! We now teach our younger children. Often by the time they are 3 yrs old they can swim under water to the edge of the pool and get out. Because of head size proportionately to body and because of upper body strength it is hard for a child much younger then that to swim with their head above water. They learn to "swim" under the water and then come up with their head side ways to take breaths. Ofcourse they need very good supervision even if they are swimmers. If there is anyone in the area you live in that teaches this technique I would highly encourage you to take your child. One warning though, it is not a fun play class. The child will go under the water and might initially not be happy about it but after a couple of sessions they normally love the lessons. Anna

Added-These classes for babies or tots are different from most regular classes offered by the Y and other community pools.(atleast in our area) They do not teach traditional swimming but they are focussed on pool safety and for your child to be able to get themself to the edge or out of the pool incase they fall in, to push off from the bottom of the pool to come up for air, come up for breaths and to float. It will not teach specific strokes etc. Anna