Last week’s death of popular Olympic skier Bode Miller’s young daughter due to drowning has been a grim reminder to some people of the dangers that come with children and swimming pools.
Aquatics Director at the Butler YMCA Nicole Parrish says drowning can be a quick and silent event. You likely won’t be able to hear splashing and see arms flailing because young children will go immediately under the water.
“If a child is a non-swimmer and they can’t complete a length of the pool, parents really need to be in the water with them at all times,” Parrish said.
Parties or get-togethers where a lot of adults are present can actually be more dangerous because a parent could think someone else was watching their child, when that might not be the case.
“Make sure some adult is always watching the child at all times and check in with that adult to make sure they are watching,” she said.
Parrish suggests putting children into water safety classes well before their 1st birthday.
“They can start at six months at the YMCA,” she said. “It’s really helpful to get them learning these skills early.”
The Butler YMCA offers basic water safety classes to the entire community.
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