Health Plan of San Joaquin | Focus Your Health | Summer 2021

Focus Your Health Standard U.S. Postage PAID Walla Walla, WA Permit No. 44 Summer 2021 Make a splash for water safety Warmer weather means lots of things, including more time outdoors around water. If you are planning to take a dip in a pool, heading to a lake or river, or spending your vacation at the beach, it’s important to stay safe. Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4. Here are some SafeKids water safety tips: 1 Watch kids when they are in or around water. Keep young children and weak swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Make sure better swimmers are always with a partner. 2 Choose a Water Watcher. Always choose one adult to watch children around water. After 15 minutes, select another adult to be the Water Watcher. 3 Teach children how to swim. Every child is different. Get your child swim lessons when they are ready. Think about their age, development and how often they are around water. 4 Make sure kids learn these five water survival skills. a. Step or jump into water and return to the surface. Do not dive in headfirst unless in a safe diving area. b. Turn around in the water and orient to safety. c. Float or tread water. d. Combine breathing with forward movement in the water. e. Exit the water. 5 Teach children that swimming in open water is not the same as a pool. Open waters have different visibility, depth, uneven surfaces, currents and undertow. These dangers can make swimming in open water harder than swimming in a po F o o l. r more information, visit safekids.org .