Parents underestimate risk of children drowning: poll

Summers by the pool are a heavenly prospect, but in just a few moments this slice of paradise can turn into tragedy.

A new poll commissioned by the Red Cross warns parents that Canadians have a tendency to underestimate the risk of their child drowning and have admitted to not being as vigilant as they should while their children are around water.

According to the Ipsos Reid poll, 98 per cent of parents said the depth of the water in which their children played or swam influenced their level of supervision.

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The data surrounding the consequences of that tendency are jarring: around 40 per cent of children under the age of 10 drown in water less than one metre deep. Ninety per cent of those children had not been supervised by an adult at the time.

"Children can drown quickly and quietly, and often in situations where they were not expected to enter the water," says Rick Caissie, national director for first aid, swimming and water safety at the Canadian Red Cross, in a press release.

"Only one-third of children and youth who drown in Canada were taking part in aquatic activities that parents typically see as risky, like swimming or wading. One-third of children drown in situations where they enter the water unexpectedly, like by falling from a dock or entering the water without their caregiver’s knowledge."

Also see: Ready for anything: 7 important safety lessons to teach your kids

The Lifesaving Society has also come out with a startling report that teens and young adults, especially males, have a thrill-seeking component to their developing brains that makes them more likely to engage in risky behaviour. And this behaviour sometimes results in tragic consequences.

The horror of a child dying is compounded by the fact that his or her death could have been prevented. That’s why the Red Cross is urging parents to fill up on the facts surrounding smart pool and lake protocol.

Here are a few they highlight:

• Learn how to swim. Enroll your child in swimming lessons as early as possible. A child with good swimming skills and safety techniques is much safer in the pool.
• Don’t get too ambitious. Make sure you don’t go out too far in the lake or swim beyond your physical capabilities.
• Practice safe ocean swimming. That means being aware of tides and currents and keeping an eye out for any shift in weather patterns.
• Supervise your kids at all times, including shallow-end play.
• If you have a pool, make sure there’s a locking fence or gate. Many drownings happen when children have easy access to the pool and can sneak in without mom or dad knowing.
• Have a strict set of pool rules and make sure there are emergency or first aid kits on hand at all times.