RICHMOND, Va. -- This time of year, kids and families spend a lot of hours in and around pools and open bodies of water. It's important to take proactive steps to keep kids safe and give parents peace of mind. Corri Miller-Hobbs, a registered nurse at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, leads pediatric injury prevention, outreach and education at CHoR and answers these four questions about keeping your kids safe this summer.
What should parents keep in mind when it comes to pool and open water safety?
Supervision is key. We want to make sure that all children, no matter their age, are getting supervision, and that they are aware of what's going on around them and that caregivers stay focused. It's too easy for those in charge of supervising children to become distracted with friends while children are swimming, especially for extended periods of time.
It’s important to identify one person for a short amount of time, like 10 to 15 minutes, so they don't get distracted. We even have a card that's available that you can print online that says, “I'm a water watcher, and I'm going to be the one that is responsible for watching the children” for this block of time, and then it can be passed on to someone else so that everyone gets to enjoy some relaxation, while also knowing that kids are being monitored.
What are some of the hidden hazards that exist for kids who are swimming in open bodies of water like rivers, lakes, or maybe even oceans this summer?
It is a different challenge than you have with a child swimming in a pool, in the backyard, or at a public pool. Typically, there are not as many lifeguards, and you must be mindful of the rip currents that exist, the flow of water, high tide, low tide, and the murkiness of the water that can make it difficult to see the bottom. What's under there? Are there objects that could grab onto a person and make it difficult for them to stay afloat?
Also, being able to watch and see when someone is in danger, or when they're having difficulty and struggling in the water, because of the ocean waves and visibility.
How can the type of swimsuit that you choose for your child help keep them safe?
We know that children want to pick their own bathing suits, but we also know that having swimsuits that are green or blue means that the children are blending into the water, and we want them to stand out so that the can easily keep an eye on them.
As program coordinator for Safe Kids Virginia, what can you tell us about that organization?
We are so fortunate that Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU has been the lead agency for the Safe Kids Virginia Coalition since 2000.
Since then, CHoR has been working to prevent injuries and keep kids out of the hospital. We really don't want to see them coming in with injuries. That includes anything from ensuring that they are properly wearing a bicycle helmet, to choosing and utilizing a car seat correctly, to poison prevention. There are lots of different topics that fall under the unintentional injury umbrella that we want to make sure that kids are doing well, they're growing and enjoying life, but in a safe way.
Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU is located at 1000 East Broad Street in Richmond. For more information, give them a call at (804) 828-2467 or visit chrichmond.org. You can also connect them on social media.
This segment is sponsored by Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
