It's Healthy and Safe Swimming Week! At least, that’s what experts at CDC call the week of May 21st-27th. Sounds like a perfect excuse for the family to get out and make some waves. All are welcome! Well not quite all. Swimming; while it is a great form of exercise and activity, can be very dangerous if you aren’t informed of proper swim safety. This week, CDC highlighted a very important fact that is often overlooked by people heading out for the public pools. You’ll want to take a moment to check out what they had to say before subjecting your family to an icky situation.
While CDC is doing a wonderful job of helping people realize diarrhea is no laughing matter, they also do an equally good of a job at providing resources for spreading awareness like, "Healthy Swimming Brochures" which mainly outline swim safety for regular beach goers. To not utilize these tools in the interest of keeping your kids well would be outrageous. Especially when you find out the risks of what may be lurking in your pool. Experts from Water Quality and Health Council not only raise the alarm by letting us know 1 in 4 adults would swim with diarrhea, they have a comic strip which debuts an artistic rendition of the Cryptosporidium virus, which can be spread by carelessly taking a dip while experiencing aforementioned bathroom related ailments. Even the drawing is terrifying enough to scare the stool out of you.
Outside of the disease risk, there is always the risk of drowning when dealing with younger children at the pool. We here at CPR Savers ask all parents to remain vigilant when having a family outing, especially around water. Parents should always:
- Make sure their children have flotation devices if they are of a younger age and inexperienced in swimming
- Check that child is in good health and not putting other children at risk of diseases.
- Teach children important safety rules like no running around the pool and no diving in the shallow end
- Always take your child to the bathroom before getting in the pool, and make sure they are washing their hands properly
- Being CPR certified can mean the difference between life and death
Of course, nothing beats fun in the sun on a hot summer day. However, a fun day can quickly turn frantic when an accident happens. While we can’t always prevent every accident, being prepared and knowledgeable can help reduce the number of accidents per season. Let’s make this season one of the safest yet! Do you part by educating and preparing yourself. Your children will thank you!
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