As pleasurable as a visit to the beach inevitably is, a day spent in the sand and surf is rife with potential disasters. These range from minor cuts or bites, to drowning.
Here are some important safety tips that will help you protect yourself and your family when around water - whether it be a lakeside, a swimming pool or the seashore.
Water Safety
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death among children aged 14 years and under. A child can drown in many different situations, including playing in or near home pools, community pools, oceans, lakes, water parks, toilets, bath tubs and large buckets. Only one and a half inches of water is required for a young child to drown if he or she is lying face down.
Different age groups of children are exposed to different dangers around water. A two year-old can easily drown in a large bucket of water, for example, but is unlikely to accept a dare from peers to jump off a high rock. Many teens have drowned when "gang bravado" takes over and friends have dared them to take severe risks. Here are some pointers to help you keep your youngsters safe around water. Additional information can be found on the Canadian Red Cross website: http://www.redcross.ca.
Protecting Younger Children:
- Stay Put - Toddlers and young children should never be left unsupervised around water. This applies even if your child is wearing a floatation device (which could lose air).
- Don't Leave Toys in the Water - Toys left afloat often lure younger children into the water.
- Always Use Life Jackets - Young children who are out boating or fishing should always wear approved life jackets.
- Teach Your Child Safe Behaviour - Young children are not capable of making sound decisions regarding their own safety. Children should be consistently reminded to walk slowly in the pool area and only to enter the water when an adult caregiver is present.
- Take a CPR and First Aid Course - Having the knowledge to deal with an emergency may well help save your child's life in the unlikely event an accident happens.
Protecting Older Children:
- Older children should be enrolled in swimming classes if they have not yet learned to swim. Since an older child is likely to want to visit the beach or pool with friends, you will not be able to supervise. It is therefore important for you to ensure your son or daughter observes the following:
- Always swim with a buddy. Never swim alone.
- Swim in supervised areas only and observe "no diving' signs.
- Know your swimming limits and keep within them. Never try to keep up with stronger swimmers, or encourage weaker swimmers to keep up with you.
- Remember that alcohol and swimming do not mix. Alcohol impairs judgement, balance and coordination. It also contributes to hypothermia.
- Watch the weather. Quickly get out of the water if you see lightning or hear thunder.
- When swimming long distances, always swim parallel to the shore.
- Last, but by no means least, never turn your back to the ocean. It is easy to be swept off coastal bluffs or tide pool areas by unexpectedly large waves.
Cuts, Burns and Scrapes
Beaches, whether they be stony or sandy, are dangerous places for feet. Aside from the ubiquitous agitated crab, glass and metal objects, and sharp-edged stones or shells can cut or tear skin.
To ensure that feet - both large and small - do not sustain cuts or puncture wounds, always be sure to protect them with proper beach shoes. Flip-flops are better than nothing, although stones and glass can sometimes slip between the top of the sandal and the soles of the feet.
Beach fires can also pose a hazard. Aside from the more obvious burns caused by contact with flames, the residue left behind when a fire is extinguished can severely burn bare skin, particularly the softer skin of a young child's feet. Ensure that your child stays away from beach fires, whether still burning or extinguished. Nasty burns to the soles of the feet can similarly be caused by superheated sand.
The next time you go to the beach, play it safe and take along a First Aid kit. A few adhesive bandages such as new Band Aid Advanced Healing and an antibiotic cream or ointment such as new Polysporin Complete will help to keep minor cuts, burns and scrapes clean and germ-free.
Preventing Sunburn
Although the little girl in the picture opposite seems all set to have a great time on the beach, she would be better protected if she were wearing a sun hat, light cover-up and some form of footwear. Hopefully, she is wearing a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, and is not exposed to the sun's rays in the middle of the day.
The beach is the single most dangerous place to be in hot, sunny weather. Sand and water intensify the burning rays of the sun, causing them to reflect back onto the skin, lending new meaning to the term "double exposure".
Here are some additional tips to prevent sunburn when heading for the beach:
- Apply a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher at least half an hour prior to sun exposure. Make sure the sunscreen provides protection against both UVA and UVB light.
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, especially after swimming or intense physical activity.
- Try to limit time in the sun to before 11am and after 4pm when UVA/UVB rays are less intense.
- Wear or dress your child in sun-protective clothing: a sun hat, long-sleeved shirt and pants.
- Seek out shade - created by trees, buildings, porches - and teach your child to seek shade when her shadow is shorter than she is.
- Remember that teaching your child good sun sense will help develop good sun habits during the teenage years.