It only takes  an inch of water for a kid to drown. It is therefore important to know where your kids are all the time.  According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign,  majority of children who drown in swimming pools were last seen in the home, were missing from sight for less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning.

In and around the pool

More than half of all infant ( children under 1) drownings occur in the bathtub. Children should never be left unsupervised in the bathtub. Other water hazards in the home includes the following :

• Buckets ( especially 5 gallon size)
• Diaper pails
• Ice chest with melted ice
• Toilets
• Ditches and post holes
• Wells
• Pond and fountains

Small children can drown when they lean forward in a bucket or an open toilet. The heaviest part of a child is the head and as a result it is easy for him or her to fall over in the container. Containers with water usually weigh  more than a small child and as a result not tip over when a child falls in.

Swimming pools

More than half of all childhood drownings occur in swimming pools. Pools are especially dangerous when

• Children swim unsupervised .
• There is no telephone or emergency number nearby.
• The pool is not properly fenced.
• There is no rescue equipment near the pool.
• Parents rely on personal floatation devices (PFDs) to keep  their child safe.

Boating

It is important  for children of all ages to wear U.S guard approved PFDs  such as life jackets when boating, sailing and canoeing .

According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, most boating-related drownings can be prevented if people wear PFDs.

Drowning during the winter

Children can drown during winter by falling through thin ice . Pools with winter covers that do not cover the pools completely pose as a threat. This is because children can slip between the covers into the pool.