Children  love to play in and around water. However water can be dangerous. A young child can drown in an inch of water. There  are safety tips you can follow to help you protect your child from drowning at the pool and other natural bodies of water.

Tips to help you keep your child  safe at the pool

You may want to wait until your child is able to  hold her head up before  taking him swimming or to the pool. This is usually around 4 to  5 months . When your child is ready to go to the pool, these great tips can help.

• first of all, you have to take an infant/child CPR class to keep you well prepared in case of an emergency
• have your child wear a floating device that fits properly and approved by the  U.S coastal guard anytime he is around  water. You should not rely on inflatable toys like water wings to keep your child safe
• do not submerge  your child under water. Even though the child may naturally hold their breath under water, most just swallow the water. That is why babies are at increased risk of bacteria and viruses  in the pool and lakes that causes diarrhea and gastroenteritis
• It is important to make sure that there is a life guard on  duty  who is equipped with rescue materials before you decide to swim at a  public pool or lake. The lifeguard should also have a readily accessible phone for emergencies. You should also take your phone
• When using a home pool,  it is essential to
  • take away all toys from the pool. A child may enter the water in an  attempt to get a toy
  • bring your phone out with you so that you are not tempted to run into the house to answer a call
  • if it is a permanent pool, make sure it is enclosed with a fence which is at least 4 feet high. The fence should have a self-closing, self-latching gate that opens away from pool. You need to always lock the gate after each use. You can also install alarms to the gates leading to the pool. You should also make sure that there is nothing your child can climb on to get over the pool’s fence
  • do not allow the child to play near or sit on the pool or hot tub drain. The suction can be strong enough to entrap body parts and hair. Use drain covers or consider installing multiple drains to reduce the suction
  • drain all inflatable and public wading pool after each use and store in an upright position
  • keep emergency equipment handy around the pool