There’s no doubt that children of all ages love to swim, but parents should be aware of the dangers that their child may face this summer. According to the Center for Disease Control, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional death for children aged 1 to 4. A whopping 390 child deaths are reported every year, most of which occurred in backyard pool or spa.

Water can be fun, but parents should take steps to keep their children safe this summer. The following are some of the steps that parents should take to make sure that their pool is a safe place to play this year:

• Set up your pool for safety. Parents should have a few universal features installed at their pool to help keep kids safe. Custom swimming pools in Bucks County should be outfitted with a textured surrounding to prevent slips and falls when it becomes wet. You should also have a gate installed around your pool, especially if you have curious toddlers in the home.
• Supervise, supervise, supervise. The number one way to protect your child from drowning is to keep a watchful eye on them at all times. According to statistics from the CDC, 77% of children who drowned were unsupervised for less than 5 minutes, and 70% were not expected to be anywhere near the pool at their time of death. During parties or other events when you may be distracted, have adults who can swim take turns acting as “designated supervisors” to watch children playing in the pool. Do not depend on floaties, water wings, or inner tubes to keep children afloat.
• Do not drink alcohol while swimming. Drinking alcohol lowers your inhibitions and reflexes, which can lead to a less responsive supervisor in the pool. Assign one adult to act as a sober supervisor when children are playing in the pool.

By remaining alert and taking precautions to keep children playing safely, parents can ensure that no one is hurt in their home. Anyone interested in learning more about water safety or who would like to inquire about swimming pool renovations in Bucks County is encouraged to give the team at Carlton Pools a call today at 888-372-0102.