LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — As the weather gets warmer and pools are now open kids are more at risk of drowning and heat-related illnesses.
Dr. Heather Felton, a pediatrician at Norton Children’s Hospital, says drowning is the No. 1 cause of death in children ages 1-4 and children that young can drown in as little as an inch of water.
One way to get ahead of the risk, is making it harder for kids to access pools on their own.
“It might mean, like a fence. It means a self-locking gate. It means the gate that has a door that you would pull open. Because a lot of toddlers, their instinct is to try to push it open,” Felton said.
She also recommends swimming lessons and always keeping a child within arm’s length of an adult.
Another risk in the summer months? Felton says children can overheat faster than adults can.
“You want to be more mindful of that, because they may not regulate like you would, where they get very into their activity and their playing, and they won’t take time to come inside and cool off, or to stop and take a drink of water,” Felton said.
She also says if to make sure you don’t leave your kids in the car, leave something in the backseat like your purse, your phone or even a shoe.
You also have to watch out for the sun. Felton says all kids should wear at least SPF-30, whether they burn easily or not, or have access to the shade.
“We don’t recommend a lot of sunscreen for babies under the age of six months, so for small infants I would recommend things like wide brimmed hats and shade and just trying to stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day,” Felton said.
Finally, she says to make sure you have lifeguard or Coast Guard approved life vests, especially on open water.
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