Pediatric Dental Specialists Share Pool Safety Tips

Summer is coming and with it comes lots of swimming! Here are some helpful tips from Pediatric Dental Specialists that we found on the American Association of Pediatricians' web site.

--Install a fence at least four-feet high around all four sides of the pool. The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through.

--Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.

--Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.

--Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd's hook - a long pole with a hook on the end - and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd's hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.

--Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as "floaties." They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.

--Children may not be developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their fourth birthday. Swim programs for children under 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning.

--Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."

Have more questions about your children this summer? Give us a call at Pediatric Dental Specialists, we'd love to help!