Safety and health tips help protect against waterborne illnesses and drowning accidents
With school vacations beginning and the mercury rising, residents of Southwest Georgia are turning to a favorite summer leisure-time activity – spending time in and on the water. But public health officials encourage the review of basic water health and safety tips before heading for the pool, beach, lake or creek.
“In the United States, drowning claims more than 3,000 lives each year. Those most at risk of drowning are children four years old and younger,” said Southwest District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. “What makes these deaths even more tragic is that they are preventable.”
Children should never be left alone near water, even if they have taken swimming lessons, she said. “Learning to swim is the best safety measure anyone can take in and around water. But lessons don’t make children `drown-proof,’” warned Grant. “No matter how shallow the water, no matter what skills your child may have acquired in the water, maintain constant supervision.”
Further, parents of very young children should practice “reach supervision,” she said. “Stay within arm’s length at all times.”
While children and inexperienced swimmers should take precautions like wearing a U.S. Coast-Guard approved personal flotation device when around water, Grant emphasized that “floaties” and inflatable toys are no substitute for parental supervision. “Water wings and other swimming aids can suddenly shift position, lose air or slip away from a child.”
She encouraged parents to set safety rules for the whole family based on individual swimming ability. “For instance, require beginning swimmers to stay in water that is less than chest deep.”
In addition, parents should teach youngsters four key swimming rules:
- Always swim with a buddy.
- Don’t dive into unknown bodies of water. Enter feet first.
- Do not push or jump on others.
- Be prepared for an emergency.
“It is best to swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard,” Grant said. “Follow the posted safety instructions and precautions.”
Drowning is not the only public health concern when families seek relief from summer heat by cooling off in pools, water parks and other bodies of water. During May 21-27, the third annual National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week, the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are emphasizing healthy swimming habits.
The CDC says ailments from earaches and eye infections to diarrhea have been linked to poor pool maintenance or behaviors that allow germs to thrive in water. Even well-maintained pools can spread illnesses, thanks to chlorine-resistant germs.
“Recreational water illnesses are spread by swallowing, inhaling or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers or oceans,” the CDC reports.
“The most commonly reported recreational water illness is diarrhea caused by pathogens such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Sigella and Escherichia coli O157:H7,” continues the CDC. “Children, pregnant women and persons with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk for infection with these waterborne germs.”
To help avoid spreading such illnesses, people should not swim if they have diarrhea, should check baby diapers frequently, should take youngsters on bathroom breaks often, should not change diapers at poolside and should make sure youngsters have clean backsides before they take to the water, the CDC urges.
Water itself isn’t the only potential hazard, Grant added.
“Don’t forget the sunscreen,” she said. “Protect against sunburn by using a sunscreen with at least SPF 15 and both UVA and UVB protection. After swimming, reapply. Some products are waterproof, but it doesn’t hurt to reapply anyway.”
More information about swimmer protection is available at www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org or at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/swimmer_protection.htm.
