Child Safety and Water, What You Must Know

Many children love to play in and around water. Few activities are as fun on a hot day as a quick dip in a swimming pool. It is important, therefore, for every parent to teach their children how to be safe in and around the water. It is always early enough to start these important lessons.

The utmost child safety measures must always be your top priority for your child and any other children by your pool.

Lessons

These days there are swimming classes for toddlers and even babies, in addition to the more traditional preschool and school-age child swimming lessons. Parents should take advantage of these early swimming lessons to give their children a strong basis of skills they can draw on if they get into trouble.

Respect

It is also important to teach children to respect water while at the same time teaching them not to be overly fearful around pools, ponds and other sources of water. It is important to strike a balance between overconfidence, which could lead to problems later on, and excessive timidity, which could cause the child to miss out on the fun of swimming and other water-based activities.

Supervision

Of course, only let a young child around water when supervised, even if that child is a good swimmer. There is no substitute for the vigilant attention of a parent. It’s essential that every parent carefully watch the child any time they play in or around the water.

All Sources of Water

These safety precautions apply to all water sources, no only the community or backyard pool. Any source of water, even very shallow ones, can pose a danger to young children. A young child can just as easily drown in a bathtub or even a bucket as in a swimming pool or at the beach.

It is important, therefore, for the parent to drain the bathtub, and empty any buckets, if the child cannot be supervised, even for a short time. Covering hot tubs and pools when not in use is also vital. In addition, a sturdy fence around the swimming pool is a must and, in many cases, a legally mandated safety measure.

As the kids age and begin to swim and enjoy the water on their own, it is essential to teach them about the differences between standing water, like swimming pools, and moving water, like the beach, a lake or a stream.

Moving water can have surprising power, and it is important to teach children to respect that power. Teaching children to expect and prepare for the unexpected is an essential safety lesson for all aspects of life.

A Clean Pool

In addition, to the child safety and water matters that you must put in place, please know that if you have a swimming pool in your backyard, it is crucial to keep it clean and sanitized. For child safety and adults alike, unhealthy water in swimming pools can bring on an illness. Below we list a few common diseases.

Gastrointestinal Infections

One of the most common illnesses is gastrointestinal infections caused by pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia. These microscopic parasites can survive in pool water that is not maintained properly, leading to diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea.

Swimmer’s Ear

Swimming in contaminated pool water can increase the risk of developing otitis externa, commonly known as swimmer’s ear. This infection occurs when water enters the ear canal and allows bacteria to thrive, resulting in ear pain, itching, and inflammation.

Skin Infections

Pools can also harbor bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, leading to skin infections. These infections can cause redness, rashes, and sometimes even pus-filled blisters.

Respiratory Infections

Exposure to airborne pathogens such as Legionella bacteria in poorly maintained indoor pools can lead to respiratory infections like Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac fever. These illnesses can cause symptoms ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to severe pneumonia.

Prevention is key to reducing the risk of contracting these illnesses. Maintaining adequate pool sanitation levels, regular water testing, and proper filtration are crucial for minimizing the risk of infections.

Let Us Help You Keep Your Pool Water Sparkling Clean

BPS Pools, the Backyard Pool Specialists, is your Texas premier pool builder. We care about child safety and water. We take pride in designing and constructing safe swimming pools. We are here to help you learn more. Contact us at BPS, The Backyard Pool Specialists, today. Our complete pool builder, remodeling and maintenance services cover Houston and the surrounding areas.