Water Safety

The Florida Department of Children and Families' "Eyes on the Kids" drowning prevention awareness campaign promotes the three best ways to provide visual supervision of children in or near water.

Stay off your phone. Limit conversation. Designate a Water Watcher.

Cognitive Development and General Knowledge:

Studies show that a child's health and well-being can influence academic performance. People do not function at their best if they do not feel well and healthy.

Use a positive tone.

Studies show that both children and adults are more likely to follow rules written in a positive tone over ones written in a negative tone. "Don't swim alone," is better stated, "Swim with a buddy."

Barriers

devices that prevent access to pools, spas, and open water, which may be anything from a water table to a lake, by unsupervised children. Barriers must be in good working condition. If the barrier is a fence, it must be at least 4 feet tall.

Alarms that can detect a

disturbance in water can be placed in a pool. There are others that can be placed on the child; they sound when they become wet.

Stay away from water near your house or in your neighborhood, such as

ditches, culverts, and drains.

video notes: children look like when they are doing the

doggie paddle but they are drowning in some cases

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act President George W. Bush in December 2007 named after Virginia Graeme Baker, who drowned when the suction of a hot tub's

drain trapped her underwater

By federal law, activities that involve water must be accessible for

everyone and as inclusive as possible.

Children who know how to swim could become

fatigued suffer a cramp inhale water experience an unexpected seizure

Respond and watch for signs for trauma for

for 6 months

Children ages one through four are more likely to die

from drowning than any other unintentional injury.

Ladders, stairs, and handrails prevent falls or help people quickly recover

from them. There are ladders and stairs that feature their own lockable gate. If these are not lockable, they must be removed when not in use or enclosed by an acceptable barrier.

Barriers must be in

good working condition.

Fences must be four feet tall or higher without

handholds or footholds that could assist in climbing. If the fence is chain link, the diamond-shaped openings must be smaller than 1 ¾ inches.

Anti-slip pool decks

have a texture that prevents slips and slides. The same effect can be accomplished by non-skid abrasive tape or deck mats.

video notes: Most drowning victims can't yell for help because

having trouble breathing

In a fatal drowning, the

heart, lungs, kidneys fail.

video notes: Most drowning victims can't yell for

help

Remember: People who are drowning are not physically able to

help in their own rescue

Hazard: Lack of Barriers Children who have free access to a pool or open water are at a

higher risk of drowning.

Here are some examples of imaginative, engaging, and memorable water safety learning experiences for young children.

http://www.joshtheotter.org/resources/parents/ http://www.nickjr.com/ http://www.bobber.info/TakeAlongBobber/index.html http://www.poolsafely.gov/parents-families/for-kids/ http://www.dangerrangers.com/kids_safety_topic.php?id=6 http://bestnannynewsletter.blogspot.com/2010/06/childrens-books-about-water-safety.html http://www.swimforlife.org/programs-services/teachers/ http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/swimming http://www.safekids.org/video/water-safety-families-children-special-needs

A charged cell phone should be in the

immediate reach of a supervising adult. The phone should never be used unless the caller is dialing 9-1-1

During the Instinctive Drowning Response, swimmers stop making forward progress

in their efforts to reach safety

A non-fatal drowning occurs if children

live through the drowning process

Ladders and stairs that feature their own

lockable gate.

Types Barriers such as

locked doors, door guards gates fences lockable pool covers Locking ladders

Some can be dangerous, creating a false sense of security or even a hazardous condition but others - such as a life jacket - .

may save a life

Motion detectors

movement near or in the pool can be mounted on a wall or fence.

The Florida Department of Health reports that in 2011, drowning death rates for the state's preschoolers were higher than

the national average by 266.7%.

Research shows that if children do not learn to swim by the 3rd grade,

they probably never will.

Bronx beach ___ people die each year

thousands

Life rings and shepherd's crooks

tow a distressed swimmer to safety and assistance. .

Wrong answer Children with disabilities should never use the water at a beach or a pool unless a

trained therapist is present

They may appear to

tread waterwear little or no expression

Any child can drown in less than

two inches of water,

Inhalation of foreign particles example

vomit or debris in the water

video notes: Most drowning victims can't yell for help having trouble breathing because they are trying to grab the surface of the

water

Children are not allowed to play

with safety equipment.

positive

"Don't swim alone," is better stated, "Swim with a buddy."

It is easy to see the signs of drowning; people shout

"Help!" and there is a lot of splashing.

The time to act is when a swimmer is in distress by asking,

"Is everything OK?" or "Are you alright?"

"For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for non-fatal submersion injuries,"

"Of these, about 50% require hospitalization."

Keep rules short and simple example,

"Walk" is better than "Do not run and jump near water."

Brain damage is lack or oxygen and causes

(due to oxygen deprivation) or Memory problems and learning disabilities

The Florida Department of Health reports that drowning death rates for the state's preschoolers were higher than the national average by

..."a staggering 266.7%

infants

1 adult for 1 infant

Fence is chain link, the diamond-shaped openings must be smaller than

1 ¾ inches.

Here is what happens when a person drowns.

1. Fluid (usually water) enters through the mouth and nose and damages the lungs. 2.The damaged lungs allow water to enter the bloodstream 3.The composition of the blood changes dramatically. 4.The body and brain are deprived of clean, undiluted blood. 5.The vocal cords automatically spasm to prevent more water from entering. 6.The spasm prevents breathing (and calling for help). 7.The brain becomes damaged due to the lack of oxygen. 8.As a result, the body goes into seizures. 9.The heart, lungs, and kidneys fail. 10. Fatal drowning occurs.

Instinctive Drowning Response:

1. In the vast majority of cases, drowning people are physiologically incapable of calling out for help because the human body is wired to give priority to the primary respiratory function, breathing, and not to speech, which is a secondary overlaid function. 2.Drowning people's mouths are not above the water long enough to enable them to exhale, draw breath and call out, they have barely time to exhale and inhale quickly before their mouths go back under the water. 3..When we are drowning, our natural instinct is to press our arms outwards and downwards onto the surface of the water so we can leverage our bodies upwards to catch our breath. 4.Waving arms about to draw attention is a voluntary movement: we have to stop drowning first before we can physically perform voluntary movements like waving for help, grabbing rescue equipment or moving toward a rescuer. 5.While in the Drowning Response, people stay upright but they don't perform supporting kicks, and unless rescued, they struggle on the surface of the water up to 60 seconds before they go under.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)It was signed by President George H.W. Bush

1990

Toddlers

4 children 1 adult

If the barrier is a fence, it must be at least

4 feet tall.

school age

6 children 1adult

Child Care Home

65C-20.010(1)(i) 65C-20.010(1)(j) 65C-20.013(7)(b)2

Child Care Home

65C-20.010(1)(j) 65C-20.013(7)(b)2

Child Care Facility codes

65C-22.001(5)(e)2 65C-22.002(4)(d) 65C-22.008(3)(c)4 65C-22.008(3)(j)6

Child Care Facility module2

65C-22.001(5)(e)2 65C-22.008(3)(c)4

rules for preschool

A good rule of thumb is three rules for preschoolers

Pneumonia

A lung infection caused by bacteria in the lungs

"Swimming lessons may save your child's life, even as an adult."

At any point in their lives, people can suddenly find themselves in water over their heads. The CDC reports that every day, ten people drown. Drowning, they say, ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States. Water competency may have saved many of these lives.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

ARDS, or difficulty breathing due to lung damage

children's Work

Be sure the children's water safety work is sent home with the child to share with parents. It is good to follow it up with a short personal note or e-mail about the child's understanding of the subject.

Submersion injuries include:

Brain damage Inhalation of foreign particles Pneumonia Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Meet standards set out in the

Chapter 64E-9, Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Places.

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act President George W. Bush in

December 2007

Be fair.

Everyone, adults included, should follow the program's water safety rules. Additionally, children should know in advance what will happen if they break the rules. Disciplinary measures for misbehavior should be consistently applied.

Drowning is the leading cause of death in children

Special needs, especially in those who have seizure disorders (such as epilepsy), developmental disorders (such as Down syndrome), and Autism.

Does not meet

Do not leave wet towels outside. When you are on a water park field trip, make sure you listen to Mrs. Johnson because she knows how to swim and can do CPR if you start to drown. No one in the wading pool over age four! Big kids, stay out!!! When we play with the sprinkler outside, do not step on the sprinkler because you can get hurt like that. Don't play with other toys after you've used the sand and water table, until you have washed your hands.

"Swimming can facilitate development in all of your child's developmental domains."

Specific physical, cognitive, and emotional areas of child growth and development are called developmental domains.

Family Night

During a family night, a program could display the children's water safety posters, have the children do water safety demonstrations, or perform a skit. Offer water-safety games created by staff.

Stage 2: Prepare

Ensure the availability of supplies Maintain equipment in good working order Post an emergency contact list Set aside parking for emergency vehicles Develop a notification system Ensure staff is certified in CPR and first aid Train staff to provide trauma-informed care

Internet

Even if a program does not have a website or access to e-mail, it can still point to online Resources for families. For example, staff could print the resources page of this course and distribute it.

Make broad statements.

Every rule should cover a wide range of behaviors. For example, a rule might state, "Play safely in and near water," instead of having specific rules such as "No pushing or shoving," "Do not play roughly," "No dunking or breath-holding," and "No running." It is the staff's responsibility to teach children what each rule means.

Here are the five barriers most commonly seen:

Fences must be four feet tall or higher without handholds or footholds that could assist in climbing. If the fence is chain link, the diamond-shaped openings must be smaller than 1 ¾ inches. Locks are placed on gates that open to pools, on pool covers, or both. There are locks made specifically for this use. Window and door guards are metal grates or bars that block entry and exit. Gates must open out, be self-closing/latching, and set so a child cannot reach in and open it from the other side. Pool enclosures usually have an aluminum frame to which mesh screening or glass is attached.

These reduce the risk of drowning by over 80%.

Fences, locked gates, and similar barriers

Meet standards set out in the

Florida Administrative Code,

The entities listed below write and enforce the rules and regulations for child care centers that have or use a pool or spa, and those near open water, whatever its source:

Florida Department of Children and Families Florida Department of Health State Attorney General Local health departments

Train Children These core ideas should be the focus of training for children.

Have an adult with you when you are near pools, hot tubs, and open water such as lakes and rivers. Beaches and pools are great places to be with friends or make new ones. Swim with a buddy! If you feel tired when you are in the water, get out and take a break. If you are too tired to swim, float on your back and shout "Help!" as loud as you can. Stay away from water near your house or in your neighborhood, such as ditches, culverts, and drains. Use your walking feet! Running, pushing, shoving, or playing roughly near pools is dangerous!

These people have risk of drowning when they are in open water, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Older children

Make children partners in safety.

Make sure children know they are helping to create a safe environment for everyone when they are water-smart and follow the rules. Let them have input in the rule-making process and praise children who are following the rules. Ask them to alert staff to hazardous conditions they see.

Keep the list short.

Make the list easy to read at a glance and to memorize, so that people who are supervising children will always correct children's behaviors using the same words. A good rule of thumb is three rules for preschoolers and six for school-age children. Make sure they are age and developmentally appropriate.

Posters, Brochures, and Flyers .

Many of the organizations presented in this course offer free water safety promotional devices. Display them everywhere families visit

Bulletin Boards

May is National Water Safety Month. Use this time to display imaginative bulletin boards near the desk where families sign their children in and out.

Respond

Meet emergency personnel who arrive and assist them as directed. Provide counseling and guidance to children while the incident is ongoing. Remove children from the scene. Call 9-1-1 and remain with the dispatcher. Give an emergency signal to clear the pool.

Mitigate

Monitor and respond to changes in rules and regulations. Work with regulatory agencies. Find and resolve hazards daily. Have two safety checklists. Train staff and children in water safety.

Posting the Rules

Once the rules have been developed, think about creating interesting ways to post them. For example, print the rules on pledge certificates, have the children sign them, and then post the certificates. You can also have the children make posters that feature the rules and hang the posters.

If these are not lockable, they must be removed

Not in use or enclosed by an acceptable barrier.

Stage 4: Recover

Obtain individual incident reports from all eyewitnesses Comply with all requests from law enforcement Complete documentation for the program as soon as possible after the incident Brief all staff, children, and parents with updates and provide access to counseling Watch children for signs of trauma for six months to one year Provide trauma-informed care for one year after the drowning

To help you remember the signs, so that you can save a life one day:

Post them where you will see them often. Purposefully memorize them by reciting them over and over. Make a mental picture of each step or envision it as a movie. Act it out (on dry land, please).

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)It was signed by

President George H.W. Bush

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act) signed by

President George W. Bush

Recover

Provide trauma-informed care for one year after the drowning. Watch children for signs of trauma for six months to one year. Complete documentation for the program. Comply with requests from law enforcement. Obtain incident reports from all staff and adult witnesses.

Chapter 64E-9

Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Places.

Family Meetings

Quality child care programs have regular meetings with individual families to discuss their children's progress. This is a good time to talk about water safety and share best practices.

Myth Swimming lessons prevent drowning

Reality Even children who know how to swim could become fatigued, suffer a cramp, inhale water, or experience an unexpected seizure. Accidents happen, too.

Myth: Children ages five and older should be given complete privacy when they use sinks, bathtubs, and toilets.

Reality: Any child can drown in less than two inches of water, including in puddles and other areas of standing water; toddler's water tables and wading pools; toilets, sinks, and tubs; and buckets, pails, and wash tubs. When young children use sinks, bathtubs, and toilets, they should be under supervision by an adult.

Myth: It is easy to see the signs of drowning; people shout "Help!" and there is a lot of splashing.

Reality: Both fatal and non-fatal drowning are quiet and quick, with no signs of struggle. During the Instinctive Drowning Response, swimmers stop making forward progress in their efforts to reach safety. They may appear to tread water, and wear little or no expression at all. The time to act is when a swimmer is in distress by asking, "Is everything OK?" or "Are you alright?"

Myth: Children with disabilities should never use the water at a beach or pool unless a trained therapist is present.

Reality: Children with disabilities need to experience natural settings for their developmental age and have the least restrictive environment possible. By federal law, activities that involve water must be accessible for everyone and as inclusive as possible.

Myth: Young children are most at risk when they play in open water near a beach.

Reality: Children younger than ten years of age are more at risk in a swimming pool. Older children tend to drown more often in open, natural sources of water, such as lakes and rivers. However, any child can drown in less than two inches of water.

Myth: Drowning is always fatal.

Reality: In a fatal drowning, the heart, lungs, and kidneys fail. A non-fatal drowning occurs if children live through the drowning process.

Hazard: Lack of Safety Equipment Pools that do not have ready access to basic safety equipment such as life-saving rings, shepherd's crooks, handrails, and ladders pose a significant safety risk. Rescuers rely on these tools to help save lives, and such devices help children follow water safety rules.

Remedy: Child care professionals know what safety equipment is appropriate for the type and location of the water children may access. It is readily and appropriately available and it is in good working condition. Staff members are trained in the equipment's proper use. Children are not allowed to play with safety equipment.

Hazard: Water Location and Child's Age As previously mentioned, young children tend to drown in swimming pools and older children in natural, open water. Younger children are at a greater risk of drowning when they are near pools than when they are near open water. The opposite is true of older children.

Remedy: Child care programs acknowledge the risk of drowning is based on the child's age and water location, and they take appropriate precautions. Risks posed by lack of barriers, disabilities, water location, swimming ability, and supervision should be remedied before the children are exposed to the water.

Hazard: Disabilities Certain disabilities place a child at a greater risk of drowning. For children with seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, drowning is the most common cause of death by injury. In children with Autism, it is a leading cause.

Remedy: Child care programs must, by law, enroll children with disabilities and accommodate their needs. Additionally, they must make all activities inclusive; that means that all children must be able to participate in every activity to the fullest extent they choose. When a child with a disability enrolls, child care staff must become familiar with the child's needs as they pertain to water play, and structure water-related activities accordingly.

Hazard: Lack of Swimming Ability Although knowing how to swim does not, in itself, prevent drowning, children who are not competent swimmers face a greater risk of drowning. Research shows that if children do not learn to swim by the 3rd grade, they probably never will.

Remedy: Encourage parents to teach their children to swim (or have them taught). Swimming lessons for children under four are not recommended but other factors, such as frequency of water exposure and the child's physical and emotional development, must be considered (American Academy of Pediatics, 2010).

Hazard: Lack of Barriers Children who have free access to a pool or open water are at a higher risk of drowning. Such may be the case in family homes and at beaches, lakes, and rivers, but it is also a concern near bathtubs, toilets, sinks, buckets, and similar devices.

Remedy: Fences, locked gates, and similar barriers can reduce the risk of drowning by over 80%. Child care programs in Florida must adhere to specific rules and regulations that prevent children from accessing pools, spas, and open water.

Hazard: Lack of Appropriate Supervision Many drownings occur when people are present. Sometimes, a person who is directly responsible for supervising the child's water play is present. The risk of drowning increases when the supervising adult is distracted, not in the water or out of arm's reach of the child

Remedy: The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education's guidelines call for a 1:1 staff-to-child ratio for infants and toddlers, a 4:1 ratio for preschoolers, and a 6:1 ratio for school-age children. Additionally, they call for strict visual and touch supervision, which is what is achieved when the supervising staff member is in the water and within arm's reach of the child or children.

Stage 3: Respond

Remove the child from the water Render first aid/CPR, as applicable Give an emergency signal to clear pool Call 9-1-1 and remain with the dispatcher Notify program director, owner, or operator Remove children from scene Continue to provide direct supervision while waiting for the ambulance Meet emergency personnel who arrive and assist them as directed Provide counseling and guidance to children while the incident is ongoing

Social & Emotional:

Swimming allows children to participate in group activities from which they might otherwise be excluded, which increases their sense of belonging and acceptance. Having this important skill also builds a child's self-esteem.

Physical Development:

Swimming can help prevent childhood obesity and may improve overall health. It exercises many muscle systems simultaneously and increases the quality of cardiovascular function without impacting developing joints. There are many beneficial exercises but few that can save a child's life in an emergency. Swimming facilitates gross motor development and improves coordination skills. Gross motor development focuses on the large muscle groups that enable swimming and develops children's ability to coordinate and alternate movements of the arms and legs.

Approaches to Learning:

This domain focuses on a child's willingness to learn, curiosity, and ability to overcome mistakes in order to achieve a new skill or gain knowledge. While these characteristics appear to different degrees in individuals, they can be improved in every child, especially when development in this domain is encouraged in early childhood.

Train Families These core ideas should be the focus of training for adults. .

Teach your child to swim or provide swimming lessons. Never leave a young child alone in or near water, including bathtubs, sinks, and toilets. Ensure your children know and follow water safety rules. Empty all buckets, pails, wading pools, and similar vessels immediately after use. If your child uses a spa or pool, make sure all pertinent rules and regulations are being followed. If your child uses a watercraft, make sure on-board safety equipment is used and maintained. Insist that all children (18 and under) wear an appropriately-sized U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket on boats and other watercraft. When a child is in or near the water, do not use alcohol or drugs that impair your thinking or reaction time

Anti-slip pool decks

Texture that prevents slips and slides

Stage 1: Mitigate

Train staff and children in water safety Have two safety checklists (program, field trips) Find and resolve hazards daily Work with applicable regulatory agencies Respond to changes in rules and regulations

Prepare

Train staff to provide trauma-informed care. Make sure staff is trained to perform CPR and first aid. Develop a notification system. Set aside parking for emergency vehicles. Post an emergency contact list

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act President George W. Bush in December 2007 named after

Virginia Graeme Baker,

Meets

Wash your hands after using the sand and water table. Put on a life vest before you go into the water. Jump over the sprinkler, not on it. On field trips, use your listening ears! Hang wet towels on the fence.

Keep rules short and simple.

Well-written rules are concise and contain only one idea. For example, a rule that reads, "Walk" is better than "Do not run and jump near water."

These people have the greatest risk of drowning in pools, spas, and wading pools.

Young children

video notes: children struggles less than

adults

myth question Drowning is

always fatal

children ages 1 to 4 years most often drown in pools

and spas

Increases the safety of pools and spas by requiring specific safety equipment, including drain covers, , and

anti-entrapment barriers alarms.

Insist that all children (18 and under) wear an

appropriately-sized U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket on boats and other watercraft.

Children under 1 year most often drown in

bathtubs, buckets toilets;

Wrong answer Children with disabilities should never use the water at a unless a trained therapist is present.

beach pool

Floatation devices remain

buoyant in water for a period of time. Some can be dangerous, creating a false sense of security or even a hazardous condition but others - such as a life jacket - may save a life.

Pool rule signs

can be purchased or created; rules need to be short, broadly stated so they can be applied to many situations, and age-appropriate.

video notes: drowning people don't have a

choice

Barriers such as locked doors, gates, fences provide

constant protection.

Drain equipment such

covers entrapment prevention measures must, by law,

Older children most often drown in

natural water settings.

video notes: Person doesn't have any movement in or out from shore

neither left or right remains in the same position

The same effect can be accomplished by

non-skid abrasive tape or deck mats.

Locks are placed on gates that

open to pools pool covers,

Myth: Young children are most at risk when they play in

open water near a beach.

They amended by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2008 it prohibits discrimination based on a

person's disability.

the entities listed below write and enforce the rules and regulations for child care centers that have or use a

pool spa,

Ladders, stairs, and handrails

prevent falls or help people quickly recover from them.

Depth markers

prominently displayed numbers that indicate how deep the pool is in the immediate area. They are usually painted on the pool deck.

They can drown in of standing water examples

puddles sinks bathtubs toilets water tables wading pools buckets pails wash tubs

Pool rule signs can be

purchased or created; rules need to be short, broadly stated so they can be applied to many situations, and age-appropriate.

Use your walking feet! Running,

pushing, shoving, or playing roughly near pools is dangerous!

Both non-fatal and fatal drowning are

quiet and quick, no signs of struggle.

Floatation devices

remain buoyant in water for a period of time.

charged cell phone

should be in the immediate reach of a supervising adult.

Do not allow children ages five and older should be given complete privacy

sinks bathtubs toilets

Older children tend to drown more often in open, natural

sources of water, such as lakes and rivers.

During the Instinctive Drowning Response, swimmers They may appear to tread water, and wear little or no expression at all.

stop making forward progress

When young children use sinks, bathtubs, and toilets, they should be under

supervision by an adult.

video notes: The boys mouth is reappearing the

surface above the water

video notes: The further the boys mouth gets away from the

surface head is turning around looking for safety

Children younger than ten years of age are more at risk in a

swimming pool.

The phone should never be used unless.

the caller is dialing 9-1-1