Care tip: Water safety for kids

This adorable child is Scarlett, 7, who has cerebral palsy and is wearing a personal floatation device at her cottage. You may have seen our new care tip column in the last BLOOM e-letter. This is the first care tip on our blog.

Care tip: Water safety for kids

Summer is in full swing, and for many families that means time in the water—swimming, boating and playing. A 2016 study by the Drowning Prevention Research Centre in Canada found that drowning is the second leading cause of preventable death for kids under age 10. Registering your child for swimming lessons is the first step to safety. Another safe water practice is to have your child wear a lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD). If the jacket can slip over your child’s chin and ears, it’s too big. Check out these tips from the Canadian Red Cross on getting the right fit. PFDs and lifejackets save lives.

Submitted by Krysta Pigden, Aquatic Program Assistant, Holland Bloorview

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