Summertime Water & Sun Safety
by GetOnBoardWithSafety.com

Whether it's spring break or summertime, it's important for parents not to take a vacation from safety. While warmer weather means endless hours of sun and fun for kids, it's also an opportunity for both minor and serious injuries. In fact, summer is the most dangerous time of year for kids - nearly half of all unintentional injury-related deaths among children occur during the summer.

“Tragedies peak during the summer months because children are supervised less, have more free time and engage in more outdoor activities,” said St. Joseph's Children's Advocate Bevin Maynard.

To help parents and guardians prevent unintentional summertime injuries, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa recommends the following:

Swimming Safety Tips

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends that parents always supervise children around water and install fencing that completely surrounds all pools, spas, whirlpools and hot tubs. Pool fences should be at least five feet high and have self-latching gates.
Some states require newly constructed in ground pools to have fencing on all four sides. To find out the law in your state, go to www.safekids.org
Pool alarms and pool covers can offer an extra layer of protection. However, do not rely on them to keep your kids safe; they should be used in conjunction with fencing and constant supervision.

Know which of your child's friends and neighbors have pools. Make sure your child will be supervised by an adult while visiting.

Children should learn to swim. Enroll them in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors when they are ready, usually after age 4. If you don't know how to swim, enroll with your kids!

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