Hello all!
Summer, seaside or pool side, and a refreshing dip is all too inviting. Especially the kids love
to splash around and get the most from the warm weather and their school holidays.
Unfortunately every year we hear about
tragedies, about children drowning, even with adults around. Statistics show for 2009 that between June and September, 462 deaths by drowning occurred in France.
This is just a little note to make you
aware of the facts and to give you reason to maybe review how you deal with your children around the pool or at the beach...
A great way of preparing yourself would
be to take a first aid course. Below is a link to do exactly that. Amanda
provides brilliant courses to learn about how to deal with emergencies.
(sorry, only for the 06 area)
First Aid sans Frontieres
The following story has a happy ending,
some are not so lucky!
A true story
We had a near drowning in our pool one
weekend. Where all the adults involved are still in shock and we are
waiting to hear of full recovery of the little one.
We all hear or see in the movies that
children will splash or alert us in some way that they are in distress in
the pool, even in some first aid courses you get to believe that you will be notified of any distress.
Not the case on Saturday evening. Adults were around the pool and did not see him get in the water. So when we were asked how long had he been there none of us could give an answer. We have now found through reading up on near drowning and drowning that when children go under they don't splash and are quiet so you won't know about it.
ATTENTION and AWARENESS
After trawling websites we have been
educated in the fact that most near drowning or drowning occur when there are adults around but the adults are distracted or there is nobody on pool watch during play time in the pool.
On Saturday adults were taken up in the
chaos of feeding 5 other children and assumed that he was with his
parents, the parents assumed he was being watched by adults that were right next to the pool.
Another factor was that toys had been
left in the pool after the children had gotten out this (a) attracted his
curiosity and (b) didn't allow us to see him in the pool.
We all know that there has to be someone
watching the pool during the time children are playing but what happens when they are all out and just playing away from the pool and you are distracted by a conversation with someone else or getting something? Always ensure you know where your child is and if you are leaving him let somebody know that you will be away and little one needs to be watched.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Another point is PLEASE PLEASE can all
parents learn emergency procedures.
We were luckily enough to have had
friends that are trained in CPR and water related incidents that jumped into
action and got him breathing again seconds after getting the little one out of the pool. Reading near drowning
stories makes us realise that if it
wasn't for the quick CPR on the little boy things could have been a lot worse.
PRECAUTIONS
If you do have children that can't swim
ensure that they are wearing PROPER life saving aids at all times! It might seem hot for them to be wearing a life jacket all the time but make sure you check. It also doesn't matter if he isn't going into the pool for the duration of your time near the pool!!!!!! Don't wait for the parents to
take responsibility, ensure you enforce the rules too. Water wings (arm bands) are not the best option and
there have been a lot of incidents where
arm bands didn't work.
I used to hear stories on the radio and
think, stupid people how could they be so irresponsible. Not anymore!!! It
happens so quickly and usually at the time when you are most distracted. What is that cliché...You can't stop
accidents but you can prevent them.
Here are some links on near drowning and
how it has affected families around the world.
Poseidon - Stages of Drowning
Hugs Foundation - for near drowning
children
eMedicine on drowning
Link to how to do CPR, obviously not a
substitute for training:
firstaid.about.com/od/cpr/ht/06_cpr.htm
Video on infant CPR
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-perform-cpr-on-an-infant
Have a safe summer!
Claudia/Zone Bébé
Le bio pour bébés et mamans