Start swimming training at an early age
Credit: Lars Plougmann Flickr
Children are naturally attracted to water but especially with the very youngest it is important to ensure that they are completely safe and observed.
Water Babies the world s largest baby swimming school and strategic partners of the Royal Lifesaving Society has teamed up with British Olympic Swimmer Alice Dearing to give top water safety tips to help families to prevent accidents and drowning this Summer.
1.If using an inflatable such as a paddleboard or boat, children should always wear well-fitting lifejackets, as paddleboards and inflatables can easily blow out to sea or get caught on a current.
2. Paddling pools are great fun but children should always be supervised as drowning can happen even in just a couple of inches of water.
At the end of the day always drain the water out of a paddling pool and turn it over to prevent any accidents.
3. Think about colours when choosing a baby or child s swimwear. Solid blues and greens can camouflage a child underwater, whereas colours on the opposite side of the spectrum orange, red, bright pink, yellow can be easily spotted by a parent or lifeguard.
4.Babies and small children get cold very quickly. Be aware of the water temperature and keep it comfortable for them pool water should be a minimum of 30° and if your baby is under 12 weeks or six kilos this needs to be 32° or above.
5.If at the beach, always swim where a lifeguard is on duty and take note of the flags indicating the safety of the water.
6.Flotation devices, rubber rings, arm bands and inflatable toys are not life preservers. They can be a fun experience but never take your eyes off your child and keep your child within arm’s reach when using them, as they can easily float away or even tip your child upside down.
7.Start swimming lessons as early as possible to build water confidence and understanding of how to move safely in the water. Children who are water confident are less likely to panic if they accidentally fall in and more likely to be able to right themselves, float and calmly breathe in air.
8.Make a fun competition out of floating practice in the swimming pool who can float on their back for the longest? If a person child or adult is caught unexpectedly in water out of their depth, floating on their back is the safest way to stay afloat and conserve energy until help arrives.
For more water safety tips as well as free videos of vital water skills you can practice with your children at home in the bath, in the pool and on holiday visit www.waterbabies.co.uk.
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Married to Ophelia in Gibraltar in 1978, John has spent much of his life travelling on security print and minting business and visited every continent except Antarctica.
Having retired several years ago, the couple moved to their house in Estepona and John became a regular news writer for the EWN Media Group taking particular interest in Finance, Gibraltar and Costa del Sol Social Scene.
Currently he is acting as Editorial Consultant for the paper helping to shape its future development.
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