Water safety isn't just about keeping kids safe in the pool. Bathroom water safety is also important. And things you might not think about — like catchment ponds, drainage ditches and runoff areas in your neighborhood — can be a hazard.
In the U.S.:
How kids drown varies by age:
So it's important for parents to know about how to protect kids, avoid risks, and respond in an emergency.
Supervision is rule #1. Kids must be watched whenever they're around water. This is true whether the water is in a bathtub, a wading pool, an ornamental fish pond, a swimming pool, a spa, an ocean, or a lake.
Young children are especially at risk. They can drown in less than 2 inches (6 centimeters) of water. That means drowning can happen in a sink, toilet bowl, fountains, buckets, inflatable pools, or small bodies of standing water around your home, such as ditches filled with rainwater.
Always watch children closely when they're in or near any water, no matter what their swimming skills. Even kids who know how to swim can be at risk for drowning. For instance, a child could slip and fall on the pool deck, lose consciousness, and fall into the pool and possibly drown.
Young kids and weak swimmers should have an adult swimmer within arm's reach to provide "touch supervision."
Swimming lessons. Swimming lessons are an important part of water safety. Kids can start taking them at age 1. Younger kids often begin with water survival skills training (like learning how to roll onto their back and float). Along with swimming lessons, this training can reduce the risk of drowning in kids ages 1–4. Kids and parents often can take these classes together. Check local recreation centers for classes taught by a qualified instructor. If you don't know how to swim, consider taking lessons.
You also can search online for classes:
Learn more about how to keep your kids safe in and on the water — whether they're in the bathtub, on a boat, in your backyard pool, or out and about.
If a child is missing, always check the pool or other body of water first. Survival depends on a quick rescue and restarting breathing as soon as possible:
Reviewed by: Sarah K. Romero, MD
Date Reviewed: 23-05-2019