water safety, summer style!

by Tony Romano

Summer’s here, and the “dog days” of July and August usually mean seeking relief from the hot sun at your nearest lake, pool or pond for some good, wet fun. But before heading out for a dip or a sail, it’s best to be aware of a few ways to remain healthy and safe while donning your swimwear or firing up your boat and slicing through the water.

Drowning
Nationally, drowning is the fourth leading cause of death for children under the age of 5. About 1,500 children of all ages drown annually, and thousands of youngsters are admitted to hospital emergency rooms for submersion-related accidents each year. Most drownings occur not in the ocean, but in fresh water – lakes, rivers or ponds.

Some tips to avoid drowning:

• Never let your children swim alone or unsupervised.
• Enroll children 4 or older in swimming lessons taught by professionals.
• Do not jump or dive into unfamiliar bodies of water. This includes lakes or ponds where you cannot see the bottom and do not know the depth.
• Do not drink alcohol while operating a boat or other watercraft.

Sunburns
We all know that overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage, and that using sufficiently powerful sunscreen prevents this. But a study published in 2001 by the American Academy of Dermatology revealed that 73 percent of swimmers at a popular beach in Texas used sunscreen, but got burnt anyway. Why? These folks forgot to re-apply their sunscreen after the water had rinsed it off! Other studies have shown that sunscreen users who do not apply enough sunscreen to protect all their exposed skin miss out on the benefits of protection. Remember that any surface of the skin can be burned from lengthy sun exposure.

Some suggestions from the academy, to help you avoid sunburns:

• Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.
• Use sunscreens every day if you are going to be in sun more than 20 minutes.
• When applying sunscreen, make sure to use it on your face, ears, hands and arms.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours or immediately after swimming or strenuous activity on a boat or water-skis.

Eeew, but it’s true…
Sometimes a day of swimming at the beach or even in a chlorinated pool can be followed by symptoms like severe stomach aches or diarrhea. What happened? Likely a case of water poisoning. The federal Centers for Disease Control states that any lake or pool may easily become contaminated by bacteria like E-coli when somebody accidentally defecates in the water.

Some ways you can avoid this most unpleasant circumstance:

• When swimming with small children, take them for frequent potty breaks.
• Always heed posted warning signs. “No Swimming” means exactly that.
• Avoid swimming in any shallow ponds with warm or stagnant water.
• Never drink pool or ocean water!

Property owners beware!
In today’s hyper-litigious atmosphere, it is important for homeowners to be familiar with laws pertaining to pools or ponds on your property. Your local real estate agent or building inspector can furnish specific requirements maintained in your community. But in general, the following guidelines can at least reduce the likelihood of an accident that could expose you to liability:

• Any area containing a pool should be fenced in.
• Install self-latching gates – with latches high enough that toddlers cannot reach them.
• Keep any door or gate leading to the pool area locked.
• For an above-ground pool, remove the steps up to it when the pool is not in use.

Following these safety ideas should greatly cut down the chance of a water-related injury putting a damper on your family’s summer fun!

Tony Romano is former communications coordinator for Nationwide Health Plans.

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