News

Water Safety In Your Home

I had my first child over a year ago and I am aware more now then ever about water safety around the house, not just at the swimming pool.  I have heard horror stories from friends and clients of mine who attend swim lessons about their child or someone they may know of putting their face in a toilet, sink and/or bucket, but never before had a first hand experience. When you do it becomes REAL, even if it didn’t happen, but you could see the potential hazzard.

These hidden dangers could become a hazard for our children if the person watching them is unaware. Babies, toddlers and children can all drown in less then 2 inches of water.

Here are my tips for keeping a safe place for your little one around your home sweet home.

1. Be sure sure to close the lids to the toilets and if possible purchase a child safety lock for them. These are normally less then $10. It is quiet simple for a child to lift the toilet seat and get their head underneath, pulling him/herself up may seem impossible, but when they are ready to investigate something they will set their mind to it and DO it and possibly getting stuck face first in the toilet water.
2. Do not leave water in a tub or a baby bath after use, empty it as soon as you dry off and dress your baby or if possible when finished in the tub.
3. Shut ALL bathroom doors (as well as to the bedrooms if the bathroom is inside the bedroom) don’t trust that your child can’t open that door. Once again purchase a child safety lock and install it on the door, especially if their isn’t one on the toilet lid.
4. Do NOT leave buckets of mop water in the house or full watering cans for watering indoor plants, even if it is behind a baby gate or an area that you think the baby/toddler can’t get to – ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
5. Empty water out of the sink once you are through washing the dishes (some of us do not have dishwashers). A toddler can simply push a chair over, climb on top, feeling a bit adventurous and try to blow bubbles that they learned in their swim lesson that week and BOOM…they are stuck face first in the water b/c it was a little further then they thought (this actually happened to a client of mine but luckily caught the child in action and quickly pulled him out).
6. Pets water bowls are also another hidden danger, it might seem a bit over the top or feel like you are being a worry wart, but it CAN happen. Be sure they are in a place that your child can’t get to and be sure that the care giver knows that it could be a POTENTIAL danger. Better be safe then sorry!

Scan your home, especially after you have returned from you day and be sure that someone else who may have been taking care of your child hasn’t left a potential hazard in your safe home. Let’s be water smart!

Stay tuned for our next blog about water safety AROUND your home.

Written by :Danielle Henry:

Danielle has been teaching yoga and swimming in Grand Cayman for the past six years. She is a Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance and has over 2500 yoga teaching hours. She is also certified through The American Red Cross as a Water Safety Instructor and has taught swim classes to babies up to adults for the past six years in the Cayman Islands.