Misconceptions about Water Safety and Pool Safety

May 1989 (January 2020 reviewed)

We always watch our kids, and nothing has ever happened

Most injuries happen when at least one adult is at home. The adult thought the child was safely away from the pool. They may believe another adult is watching the child. The last place searched is the pool. Only minutes separate a normal child from being brain damaged or dead. A survey on drowning conducted in Fresno showed 1 out of 4 families said their child had a near miss where the child would have suffered a severe injury if the adult had not arrived to rescue them.

I would hear my children and rescue them

The average age for a pool injury is 2 years. The child enters the water reaching for an object such as a toy and silently sinks. There is no warning, noise or disturbance. This can happen even while a parent is nearby with his or her back turned.

We will teach my infant or toddler to swim

Most water safety experts including the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend swimming instruction for children around 3 to 5 years of age, but certain instruction may be started early depending on the developmental awareness of the individual child). Toddlers can't reason well enough to respond in an emergency. These toddlers don't understand or recognize the dangers of depth or height in a swimming pool.

I don’t have any children so extra safety measures (like pool fencing) around my pool are not necessary

There are very few households where children never visit. Some adults are not prepared for the constant challenging young children place on their surroundings, climbing, pushing and testing. It is not possible to supervise children every second, so extra safety measures are essential. Recognized standards for safety must be in place for everyone for the benefit of the majority.

Very few children drown in pools each year. Why the concern?

Some 10 children drown every year and 3 are in swimming pools in the family’s backyard. Up to 30 children are hospitalized for drowning every year and more than 80% are in the family's backyard pool. Three of those hospitalized have severe brain injury that may require long-term care which can place a financial and emotional strain for families.

Educating parents and children is the answer

Education of parents and children is extremely important, so they understand the risks of injury and methods for reducing the chance for injury. 80% of pool injuries and most of the water injuries around the home involve very young children under 4 years of age. No one would expect direct education for these children to be effective. Preventing their access to water through adult supervision and physical barriers is the most effective method for preventing injuries.