Preventing toddler drowning is a cause shared by a number of people, including parents, family members of victims, and your team at Protect-A-Child.
In Tucson, Arizona, we discovered that one doctor believes water safety should be part of a pediatrician’s treatment plan for young, developing children.
Last year, after one child drowned in a bathtub and several more nearly drowned, Dr. Julie Klein decided to adopt a drowning prevention program that involves local physicians writing prescriptions for infant survival swimming.
Her story was reported by local NBC news affiliate, News 4 Tucson.
Dr. Klein, a pediatrician in Tucson, has treated many children who’ve nearly drowned.
In the news report, she reiterated what we have heard other family members of young victims say after a swimming pool drowning or near tragedy.
“Part of what’s heartbreaking is that it is preventable,” Dr. Klein said.
During the report, Dr. Klein promoted the Water Smart Babies Program, which stresses the importance of safety materials and rescue techniques.
The program urges pediatricians to write prescriptions for infant swimming lessons at well-baby checkups, and to go over essential pool-safety information with parents before a child turns one-year old.
According to a Smart Babies drowning-prevention brochure, this advice includes surrounding a swimming pool with a pool safety fence to prevent young ones from falling in. At Protect-A-Child, we believe this kind of pool safety fence should meet stringent quality standards, including quality materials, sturdy construction and professional installation.
We support the Water Smart Babies Program, which also emphasizes safety practices for adults, such as:
- Learn CPR if you are a caregiver.
- Place a telephone and rescue equipment near your pool.
- Teach children how to turn over and swim on their backs if they fall in.
- Keep children at an arm’s length when in or near a pool.
- Install a pool safety fence.
We also agree that having a doctor spread the message is a smart way to get parents to understand the gravity of the message.
The effect of having a doctor reinforce the drowning prevention message, as well as to write a prescription for swim lessons, is that parents will take it more seriously, Dr. Klein said in the News 4 Tucson report.
“Seeing something in writing on a prescription pad by the pediatrician; that just really makes an impact,” she said.
If you own a pool in the Tucson area and would like an estimate for a swimming pool safety fence, contact Protect-A-Child dealer Chris Bradford on our Pool Fence Dealer page.
To find a Protect-A-Child installer outside of the Tucson area, visit our Pool Fence Dealer page for a free quote.
