My Child Almost Drowned: 5 Misconceptions about Drowning and How to Keep your Child Safe (Including a Free Water Safety Game for Preschoolers)
I will never forget the day my son could have drowned.
Several years ago, we lived on an island in the Caribbean. This meant many of our days were spent both at the beach and in pools. One beautiful afternoon we played at a pool with a group of friends.
After lunch, I hopped in the pool with my daughter to work on her swimming skills. Not too much later, my friend suddenly yelled my name and pointed about three feet behind me.
There was my son, his head under water and his arms flailing.
My son had taken his life jacket off for lunch. While I thought he was sitting with our friends, he had left unnoticed and followed me. As he made his way into the pool, the water slowly got deeper until his face was submerged. Being young, he had no understanding to turn and walk back the way he came.
Gratefully beyond expression, my friend saw my son and I was able to grab him before any harm was done.
However, I will always remember how quickly and quietly it happened.
My heart physically sinks every time the scene comes to mind. How easily it could have ended differently.
Regrettably, too many families experience this type of situation each year but with heart breaking results instead. While my heart literally aches for these families, I am confident that they want all parents to learn from their experiences.
The comforting truth is that drowning is preventable.
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The Importance of Water Safety
I have countless joyful memories of water fun. Unfortunately, water also poses an enormous risk to our children. In fact, drowning is the leading cause of death from a preventable injury for children ages one to four. It’s vital that we as parents and caregivers learn how to keep our kids safe and teach them how to be safe around water.
I don’t want to dwell on the scary stuff, but it is so important that we understand reality so that we can value water safety. According to the CDC, “Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger.” Additionally, “For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.”
Such submersion injuries can result in permanent damage, especially to the brain. Because of the brain’s vital role in functioning, near drownings can result in memory and learning disabilities or vegetation.
And those most able to prevent drowning are us, the parents and caregivers. Drownings will decrease when we understand how they happen, how to prevent them, and teach others these important truths.
Misconceptions and Truths about Drowning
A study conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide in 2014 showed several misconceptions parents have that if corrected could prevent more drownings. Here are five of the misconceptions:
Misconception 1: I will hear my child if he/she gets in trouble in the water and starts to drown.
As I and so many others have learned, drowning is usually silent. While parents think they will hear splashing or yelling for help, instead, the victim is typically submerged without the ability to yell out. Older swimmers have the instinct to reach their arms out and push down, trying to get above the water rather than reaching up or waving about to signal for help.
Misconception 2: Nothing bad will happen if I take my full attention off my child for a couple of minutes.
Drowning happens in a matter of minutes. In this study, one in three parents had left a child unattended at the pool for more than two minutes. According to the study, “This silence and speed are characteristics of childhood drowning, and may be the only things that all cases have in common.”
A lot of drownings (especially for kids ages 1-4) happen during non-swim times. For example, in a backyard pool while friends are cleaning up and heading out. Supervision plus other layers of protection are necessary.
Misconception 3: If there is a lifeguard present, I don’t need to worry as much about actively supervising my child in and around the water.
Lifeguards do save a lot of lives. However, parents maintain supervisory responsibility.
Misconception 4: If my child has had swim lessons, I don’t have to worry about him or her drowning.
Swim lessons are vital but not enough. Even with lessons, swimming skills vary and there are other factors involved. Almost half of the children ages 10-17 who drowned in pools were able to swim.
Misconception 5: My learning CPR is not going to make a difference if my child gets into trouble in the water.
If a child does drown, starting CPR immediately increases the likelihood of the child’s survival and improved outcomes. Oftentimes that CPR is performed by bystanders.
How to Prevent Drowning
When we start to get a clear picture of how drownings happen, most especially the quick and quiet nature of them, prevention methods also become really clear.
Research shows that these five tips can prevent drownings:
1. Actively supervise children in and around water.
Choose to actively supervise rather than reading by the pool, chatting on the phone, or participating in another distracting activity. Remember the kids are worth it and find another time for personal recreation. For preschoolers and younger, be within arms reach at least.
If you’re in a party setting, designate at least one adult at a time to be a “water watcher” without the distraction of other party activities.
Honestly, this goes for the bathtub as well. About 70 children a year drown in bathtubs. Ignore the phone or take the child out of the tub before answering the door.
For older and competent swimmers, always use the buddy system.
Enjoy being really present and having fun with your kids while they’re in the water.
2. Wear coast guard approved life jackets.
Lapses in supervision are foreseeable, especially if you have more than one child. Coast guard approved life jackets (not pool noodles or float tubes) will keep a child’s head above water. Make it a rule to put the life jacket on before entering the pool area and keep it on at all times when on the pool deck.
Please note that the coast guard approves life jackets for boat use (not pool use). Using a life jacket is only one layer of prevention and the most common scenario for a child drowning between the ages of one and four is during non-swim times, so they’ve likely taken a life jacket off.
Additionally, it’s estimated that about half of all boating deaths could be prevented by wearing a life jacket.
This type of Puddle Jumper for Kids is
Click image for purchasing information.
This type of life jacket is coast guard approved and keeps heads above water. Plus, it is also comfortable and allows kids to move around freely, helping them develop swimming skills and enjoy their time in the water.
For younger kids, we use this type of Infant Life Vest
Click image for purchasing information.
The puddle jumpers are too big for smaller kids and slip right off. This type of vest buckles under the bottom as well for a snug and safe fit. When the baby goes in the water with this one, it flips the baby onto his or her back, which most don’t love, but it keeps them safer.
3. Prevent unsupervised access to water.
Empty the baby pool and store it upside down, drain the bathtub, and keep proper barriers in place for home pools. If your child visits a neighbor or friend with a home pool or hot tub, make sure they have proper barriers for those.
4. Teach kids water safety skills.
Infants as young as six months can begin to learn water safety. For example, Infant Swimming Resource teaches infants and toddlers how to self-rescue by flipping onto their back and breathing.
Teach kids these five water survival skills: step or jump into water above their head and then return to the surface, tread water or float for one minute, turn in a full circle to find an exit, swim at least 25 yards to an exit, and be able to climb out of the water without a ladder.
Additionally, teach kids water safety rules and why water safety matters. One way to do this is by playing Buoy. Buoy is a free printable Water Safety Game for Preschoolers that will help kids have fun while they learn rules for staying safe around water. More details about the game are later in this post.
5. Learn CPR and what to do in case of an emergency.
While taking a CPR class might help you feel more comfortable, you can begin right now by learning the steps of child and infant CPR and watching videos to see how to do it.
The American Red Cross has good information about child and infant CPR.
Teach Children Water Safety with a Fun Game for Preschoolers
All of this prevention becomes a lot easier when our kids are on board, when they understand why water safety is important and what water safety is.
I created a water safety game as part of our Letter W is for Water preschool lesson. We call the game Buoy. We have played Buoy several times now. The game is an ideal way to teach water safety for preschoolers, but it can be adapted for other ages as well. My Littles have fun with it and are learning important water safety rules at the same time.
How to Play Buoy: A Water Safety Game for Kids
Players: Each copy of the game allows 2-4 people to play. The game is ideal for preschoolers and is also fun for younger elementary age kids.
Set-up: Print pages 4-12 of the game. Cut-out the Buoy Cards, sailors, supplies, and Safety Coins. Each player chooses one sailor. The supplies and Safety Coins are put in the “Bank.” (Tip: If you want to make cutting easier, use the dotted lines. To make the game look nicer, cut around the edges of the coins and supplies.)
How to Play: The youngest player goes first. The first player chooses a card. The player answers the question or earns or loses Safety Coins as the card directs. The cards (24 included) teach and reinforce water safety rules for kids.
A player may choose to buy supplies at any time during his or her turn, according to the following prices.
- Cost of Supplies:
- Swimming Day Bag: 2 Safety Coins
- Life Vest: 3 Safety Coins
- Boat: 5 Safety Coins
The Safety Coins the player uses to buy supplies are returned to the bank. Play continues to the left.
How to Win: The first player to buy one Swimming Day Bag, one Life Vest, and one Boat is the winner!
The Water Safety Rules that the Game Teaches
The purpose of Buoy: A Water Safety Game for Kids is to help them learn and understand how to be safe in and around water. The game cards teach and reinforce water safety, including the following 12 rules.
I created Buoy to help my kids learn and understand important life-saving skills in a fun way. I hope it does the same for you and your Littles. Just let me know where to send your Free PDF of the Printable Game!
A Lifetime of Memories
Growing up, we spent much of our summers biking to the pool as a family and staying all day. We’d spend weeks at my grandparents’ home in Southern Oregon and work hard all morning in their huge garden, followed by an afternoon relaxing and playing in their backyard pool. As a family, we boated and skied and innertubed. With friends, I’ve floated down rivers. I have caught smashing waves (or at least tired to) and snorkeled in breath-taking oceans.
I have a lifetime of memories playing in the water.
With five beautiful children of my own now, these are memories I want to pass on. These water experiences are ones I want them to have and enjoy. They are beautiful and relaxing and just so much fun!
When we and our children understand water safety and make it a priority, all of those experiences can happen in a way that ends joyfully. Understanding and teaching water safety is important because the upside is SO up. I hope you make it a priority for your family too.
Wishing you and your Littles countless memories of water fun!
Related: 12 Tips for How to Keep Kids Safe at the Pool
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We have already learned of some sad stories recently of drowning. Thanks for the straight-forward, interactive reminder!
So sorry to hear that. Those stories are honestly heart breaking. I figured we could all use the reminder! Thanks for sharing your comment. Hope we get to see you guys soon!