FILE - Swimmers try to stay cool in near 100 degree temperatures at Red Oaks Waterpark in Madison Heights, Mich., June 28, 2012. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4. It's also the second leading cause of unintentional death for those ages 5 to 14. – With school out for the summer and temperatures rising across the country, many families will visit the beach, lake or local swimming pool.
Many children who drowned at home did so during times they were not expected to be in the water, according to the. In some cases, children were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents when they slipped into the pool and drowned, the agency said. They should also be able to quickly turn around in the water and find a safe place, combine breathing with moving forward in the water and get out of the water.If several adults are at the pool, beach or lake with a group of children, choose a water watcher who can have eyes on the children at all times. It's a great idea to rotate the water watcher among the adults for brief amounts of time, such as 15-minute intervals, experts at Safe Kids Worldwide recommend.
Teach children to stay away from pool drains or suction devices, which can entrap swimmers' hair or limbs. Have young or inexperienced children wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. The size of the life jacket should be based on the child's height and weight. Never substitute arm floaties or inflatable swimming rings for life jackets.
Experts also recommend making sure children know the depth of the water so they don't dive into the shallow end and get injured.Open water, such as the ocean or a lake, is much different than a backyard swimming pool.