Lifeguard Alert

During the summer the local pool is often the place to be for kids and teens. Many parents seem to think the pool is a replacement daycare where they can let their kids go and expect someone else to watch them.

Teens in tall chairs keep watch, blow whistles, and guard life. Kids play. Moms relax. With lifeguards flanking the deep end parents often develop a false sense of security. "That makes us the parent for a little while and I don’t really feel like I'm responsible enough to be a parent yet, says Rob. (Sixteen year old lifeguard.)

It's easy to believe certification and rescue courses qualify these teens to guard another child's life, but while lifeguards may be trained to rescue many don't have the experience or maturity to react quickly enough.

"They're watching a lot of children at the same time, I don't think you can depend on them to watch your child at that age, says Dr. Karen Dewling." Experts say “that” age is any kid under 12 to 14. Kids who are not old enough to be left alone at home should not be left alone at the pool. "And I think it probably requires a little bit more maturity to be left at the pool than it does to be left at home, “says Dewling.

What Parents Can Do

Summertime and summer heat means trips to pools, lakes and beaches. Cooling off with water is one the best ways to beat the heat and also one of the most popular. With so much activity centered around water, it’s also a time when accidents are likely to happen. Some of these accidents end in injury and some of them end tragically in death.

There are several tips offered by health education experts and medical practitioners that everyone who plans to be around water should be aware of. The following advice is shared by pediatrician Karen Dewling from Emory University and tips from tips listed on the med.usf web site.

• Small children should not be left unattended near water (this includes inside the house near toilets or buckets of water).
• Backyard pools should have an unclimable fence that is at least 5 ft. on all four sides - Have children learn swimming and water skills at an early age.*
• Drain water out of children’s pools and off of pool and spa covers.
• Inform children about playing in and near streams, lakes, ponds, etc.
• Keep toys that might entice children away from pool sides.

(*Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend this for children under age 3. )