We all dream about those idyllic summer days filled with blue skies, puffy white clouds and endless hours spent playing and with family. If we try hard enough, we can envision ourselves in rocking chairs on the porch with ice-cold lemonade, almost like a Norman Rockwell painting. We love the summertime and all the memories of popsicles, fireworks and school breaks that it evokes. But as we often do when romanticizing the days of yore, we delete the inherent safety issues that accompany our hot-weather nirvana.
In light of all the concerns over childhood obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, summer gives us a great opportunity to get up and enjoy a variety of fun activities and exercises that aren’t frequently available to many of us: most notably swimming and other water sports. Pools and lakes provide the setting for tons of fun and great time spent with family, often a reconnection point for the extended relatives who might hibernate during colder times of year. Swimming, water skiing and tubing also offer ample opportunity for aerobic exercise. Water sports should be encouraged for all their positive attributes. But, as with all good things, we need to moderate the risk.
[See: 7 Signs You Should Stop Exercising Immediately.]
The risks surrounding water sports are relatively clear: drowning, illness and contact issues like burns. These events are more common than we might like to think: Over a nine-year period, there were more than 3,500 fatal drownings, translating to about 10 per day. And for every one of those deaths, there were another five people who suffered a “near drowning,” meaning they did not die but sustained injuries such as brain damage from prolonged periods without oxygen while submerged. In addition, there are over 300 deaths from boating accidents each summer in the U.S.
Further analysis of the data shows that most deaths for little ones (children under age 5) occur in home swimming pools. Drownings account for one-third of the accidental deaths in this age group. For teenagers, particularly males, the risk shifts to most drownings occurring in lakes.
Despite these surprising statistics, there are multiple ways to increase the safety of water fun by taking relatively simple actions.
— Enrolling younger children in swimming lessons is a huge first step, so that if they fall into a pool or hot tub, they can make it to the side and hang on until help arrives. Most camps, community pools or centers offer swimming lessons for reasonable rates.
— Relying on “floaties” is certainly not optimal. In fact, blow-up or foam items are not approved for life-saving purposes, just for fun.
— Cleaning up water toys and putting them away after use is also critical. Colorful beach balls and other fun toys floating in the pool when no one is around are the perfect enticement for a child who might just lean over the water, fall in and drown.
— Putting fencing around the pool area is also a must, and actually, it should be a four-sided structure. There’s been an 83 percent reduction in drowning deaths when pools are separate from the house and surrounded on all sides by an appropriate fence.
— Making sure the drain is tightly adhered to the surface of the pool is a must, so that bathing suits do not inadvertently catch and hold the swimmer underwater.
— Avoiding alcohol is key, since it has been associated with 70 percent of water-recreation deaths.
[See: 7 Health Risks of Binge Drinking You Can’t Ignore.]
— Wearing life jackets and watching the weather when out on bodies of water is also critical to safety.
— Swimming in numbers is smart. No one should ever be in water alone, pool or lake.
— Lastly, having keen awareness of the medical issues swimmers and boaters grapple with can save lives. In particular, children with seizures are at very high risk of drowning, since one can occur and go unnoticed underwater.
[See: Was That a Seizure?]
With regard to infections and chemical exposure:
— These incidents are more likely to be affiliated with public pools. Interestingly, it has been reported that 1 in 3 public pools is actually not regulated by public health. This means there is no official oversight on how the water is disinfected or how its pH is checked, or of the safety equipment provided. In fact, nearly 80 percent of public pools have been reported to have at least one violation of health and safety standards, resulting in immediate closure after inspection of about 1 out of every 8. When looking at just kiddie pools, this number increases to about 1 out of every 5.
— Infections picked up in the water abound. Diarrhea is certainly one of the most common varieties. Even when the chemical disinfection is on the money, not all germs die immediately upon exposure. It actually can take minutes to days. Other germs such as certain fungi can be tolerant to chemicals and not die. Cryptococcus fungal infections have actually increased 200 percent and can be related to water exposure. Other types of water sources have similar but slightly different risks. Hot tubs, a frequent source of skin infections, are warm and moist, providing the perfect environment for certain types of bacteria. In addition, the heat may also degrade the chemicals making them less effective. Fountains pose their own risks of both falls and infections, since they are generally not chlorinated. Lakes, rivers and ponds are the hygiene spots for many animals and can actually have sewer runoff, particularly after significant storms, placing them at high risk for contamination.
To maximize the safety of swimming in public facilities, there are a few easy ways to mitigate risk. First, you should always be able to see the bottom of the pool. Clear water allows swimmers to be seen at the bottom of the pool. Ideally, a lifeguard is always present during swimming hours. If not, safety equipment such as a ring or rope should always be visible and easily accessible. Information exists online that notes if a pool is regulated by public health and if so, the date of last inspection.
Swallowing water should be avoided and there should be no swimming in open water immediately after large rainfalls. Water activities should be avoided in those who are ill or having loose stools; swim diapers should be used on those who are not yet toilet trained. Showering, even for only 60 seconds, before getting into water will decrease the germs on the skin and decrease contamination. Showering after will decrease the chemical and microbe residue picked up from the water, perhaps preventing harm even if exposure has occurred.
Most of these tips are age old but still relevant to ensure this great American pastime doesn’t end in tragedy. There is no substitute for close watch on everyone in the water, be it a pool or lake. In addition, it is prudent to make everyone get out of the water every hour for bathroom, sunscreen and hydration breaks. Maybe that was the purpose of adult swim all along. Who knew?
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Danger in the Water: Swim Safely This Summer originally appeared on usnews.com
