Swim Safely

AS FAMILIES GEAR UP for the swimming-pool season and trips to the lake, new research warns that many parents are too laid back about the risk of children drowning.

And so are the children.

Fifty-five percent of parents say they are “not at all worried” or “not very worried” about their child drowning, according to the National Safe Kids Campaign. The same percentage said there were circumstances when it would be acceptable for a child to swim unsupervised.

But drowning is the second-leading cause of death from unintentional injuries for children ages 1 to 14.

“I am concerned about any parent who thinks drowning is not a high risk for their children,” said Michelle Jantz, professional aquatics program manager at the Kansas City chapter of the American Red Cross in Missouri.

The Safe Kids Campaign’s review of drowning deaths in 2000 and 2001 found that 88 percent of children who drowned were under the supervision of another person. But parents who are supervising are often distracted by other activities, including talking to others and reading.

Swimming lessons are a given for many families, but 37 percent of parents said their children had never taken lessons. Jantz said a common problem is that youngsters start lessons but drop out. Jantz said she plans to visit area swimming programs to explore how to fix that.

“I want to find out what’s going on,” she said. “Are we teaching Kansas City kids to swim or not? Our goal is that every child learn how to swim and how to be safe around water.”

Lake safety is also a concern. The Safe Kids Campaign found that 50 percent of children ages 8 to 12 don’t wear life jackets while riding on personal watercraft.

Dave Magee, a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer who does safety patrols, said some boaters don’t appreciate the importance of life vests. It’s crucial to be wearing one, not merely have it close at hand. And life jackets must fit properly to do any good, he said.

“A lot of people don’t wear the proper size jacket,” Magee said. “Sometimes they’ll give their child one that’s really large. In the water it would just slide right off their head.”

Estimates are that 80 percent to 85 percent of boat-related drownings could be prevented if boaters wore approved, properly fitting life jackets.

“It’s just like a safety belt in a car,” Magee said. “Some people say, ‘I’m a good swimmer.’ But what if you hit your head when you fall off a boat or a dock? What would you do then?”