By Julia Ham (Hampton Swim School) Some parents choose to delay the commencement of their child’s swimming education, believing that their backyard pool plays a more important role in aquatic development than structured lessons. BUT WAIT, in 2009 alone in Australia over 50 children between the ages of 0-17 years died by drowning, with many more near-drowning incidents and accidents occurring around the pool or beach. As previously reported, many of these children were left unsupervised, so it's easy to see why swim lessons sooner rather than later provide an additional barrier against drowning. Safety aside, swimming is a great form of exercise and, as well as being fun, it promotes time with the family and opens the door to many water sports such as water polo, sailing and nippers. The most common question asked by prospective parents of children of Hampton Swim School is, “when is the best time to start swimming?” Opinions on this topic vary. Given Qld’s lifestyle, the likelihood that a child will be...

Everybody needs to remember not to be complacent about SUPERVISION as the primary layer of protection in the prevention of drowning. Vigilance is required, no matter how confident a young swimmer may be. Home pools are becoming more common every day. It is estimated now that more than 1 in 5 Australian homes have a swimming pool and, with QLD’s perfect weather, the water is the place to be! But beware: this great Aussie Icon can be dangerous! The RLSSA National Drowning Report for 2009 showed an alarming increase to 302 in the number of deaths caused by drowning. This is the highest figure in 6 years, and a wakeup call to parents especially when we consider that 32 deaths were in the under 5 years age group and, of these, over 60% were in backyard swimming pools. Combine this with the recent tragic drowning of 2 children at public pools, and we need to realise that supervision CAN, and DOES FAIL. Last week, Hampton Swim School conducted a Mother’s Morning Tea at which a segment interviewing a parent of a young child who had drowned was aired. There was not a dry eye in the room, and the grief and guilt of the parent was felt by everyone in attendance....

Some parents choose to delay the commencement of their child’s swimming education, believing that their backyard pool plays a more important role in aquatic development than structured lessons.

BUT WAIT, in 2009 alone in Australia over 50 children between the ages of 0-17 years died by drowning, with many more near-drowning incidents and accidents occurring around the pool or beach. As previously reported, many of these children were left unsupervised, so it's easy to see why swim lessons sooner rather than later provide an additional barrier against drowning. Safety aside, swimming is a great form of exercise and, as well as being fun, it promotes time with the family and opens the door to many water sports such as water polo, sailing and nippers....

Home pools are becoming more common every day. It is estimated now that more than 1 in 5 Australian homes have a swimming pool and, with QLD’s perfect weather, the water is the place to be! But beware: this great Aussie Icon can be dangerous! The RLSSA National Drowning Report for 2009 showed an alarming increase to 302 in the number of deaths caused by drowning. This is the highest figure in 6 years, and a wakeup call to parents especially when we consider that 32 deaths were in the under 5 years age group and, of these, over 60% were in backyard swimming pools. Combine this with the recent tragic drowning of 2 children at public pools, and we need to realise that supervision CAN, and DOES FAIL. Recently, Hampton Swim School conducted a Mother’s Morning Tea at which a segment interviewing a parent of a young child who had drowned was aired. There was not a dry eye in the room, and the grief and guilt of the parent was felt by everyone in attendance. Parents need to be reminded not to be complacent about SUPERVISION as the primary layer of protection in the prevention of drowning. Vigilance is required, no matter how confident a young swimmer may be....

Many parents are well aware of the potential dangers that residential swimming pools and bathtubs pose to children of all ages. However, even if you don’t own a pool, there are less obvious drowning hazards that might be overlooked by discerning parents wanting to provide a safe environment in which to raise their children. Water associated areas in and around the home should always be checked first when carers are seeking their absent child. Children can drown within seconds in a few centimetres of water. Parents should be mindful of the following other aquatic areas around the home besides a pool or bathtub that present a drowning threat to young children: INFLATABLE POOLS: inexpensive, blow up or demountable pools (anywhere from 20cm in height) often fall outside pool fencing legislation, and may be purchased by consumers without consideration of any barriers necessary to help protect young children from the dangers of water. Remember to empty and dismantle these pools after use. SPAS & HOT TUBS; always secure the safety cover on your spa to prevent children from gaining access when it is not in use. Some non-rigid covers can still allow a child to slip into the water with the cover appearing to still be in place, so use additional barriers such as locking the door leading to the spa or fencing around the spa....

The provision of an adequate barrier around a swimming pool is critical component of child drowning prevention. While constant supervision of a young child around water is imperative, as any parent knows this is sometimes unachievable, and the installation of a standards-compliant pool fence represents another layer of protection that can assist in reducing the probability of a child becoming yet another drowning statistic. While nearly 40% of homes in Qld enjoy the luxury of a pool in the backyard, it is estimated that at least 50% of these swimming pool fences are either inadequate or non-compliant with the established standards. Why is compliance so important? Over 40% of under 5 drowning deaths occur as a direct result of the child gaining access to the pool via a defective pool gate or fence. Child pool drowning statistics include those directly attributable to carelessly placed climbable objects such as outdoor furniture and pot plants which are a significant risk from the standpoint of young children being able to access a swimming pool area....

32 drowning deaths in the 4 and under age group during 2009 of which 84% were the result of a child falling or wandering into a backyard swimming pool. These are Australia’s shocking drowning statistics and, as disturbing as they are, the tragedy suffered by families as a result of pool-related accidents extends beyond the media’s portrayal of grieving parents and a small casket. For every one of these lost lives there are more than 4 emergency hospitalisations from near drowning and, of these hospitalized children, one will be left with permanent brain damage....

Everybody needs to remember not to be complacent about SUPERVISION as the primary layer of protection in the prevention of drowning. Vigilance is required, no matter how confident a young swimmer may be. Home pools are becoming more common every day. It is estimated now that more than 1 in 5 Australian homes have a swimming pool and, with QLD’s perfect weather, the water is the place to be! But beware: this great Aussie Icon can be dangerous! The RLSSA National Drowning Report for 2009 showed an alarming increase to 302 in the number of deaths caused by drowning. This is the highest figure in 6 years, and a wakeup call to parents especially when we consider that 32 deaths were in the under 5 years age group and, of these, over 60% were in backyard swimming pools. Combine this with the recent tragic drowning of 2 children at public pools, and we need to realise that supervision CAN, and DOES FAIL. Last week, Hampton Swim School conducted a Mother’s Morning Tea at which a segment interviewing a parent of a young child who had drowned was aired. There was not a dry eye in the room, and the grief and guilt of the parent was felt by everyone in attendance....