Swimming pool, beach: safety rules for bathing children

[Mise à jour du 23 juin à  17h22] In France, accidental drownings are responsible for around 1,000 deaths each year (including around 400 during the summer period), making it the leading cause of death by accident in everyday life among people under 25 years of age. In 2021, the Drowning survey identified 1,480 accidental drownings, 27% of which resulted in death. Children under 6 accounted for 22% of accidental drownings and 6% of deaths.s. Regarding the places of drowning, 47% took place at sea, 26% in swimming pools, 23% in waterways or bodies of water and 4% in other places (bathtubs, basins, etc.) with a distribution of fatal drownings of 44%, 15%, 39% and 2% respectively. The proportion of deaths is higher in bodies of water (49%) and rivers (41%) whereas it is 25% at sea, 15% in swimming pools of all types and 14% in other places. The drownings in swimming pools concerned more young children. Compared to the previous survey carried out in 2018, the number of accidental drownings in 2021 is lower due to less favorable climatic conditions for swimming. If you go on vacation to the sea, or take the children to the swimming pool, summer is an opportunity to remember the essential reflexes to avoid any risk of drowning.

• Never relax your vigilance. To the beach, watch your children at all times and always stay with them when they play at the water’s edge, or when they swim.
• Also pay attention to monitor your child even when the body of water is minimal (bathtub, pond, large puddle) because a toddler can drown in 20 cm of water.
• VShoose bathing areas supervised by lifeguards, where the intervention of rescue teams is faster. Once again, their supervision should not replace that of the parents.
• Their indications and their recommendations as to the temperature of the water, the violence of the current and the waves are also essential and each parent is invited to find out about the weather conditions before considering a swim. To do this, rely on the color of the flags (green, orange, red and black).
• Don’t forget to wet your head, neck, stomach and gradually enter the water to avoid thermal shocks
• In this period of Covid-19, it is also recommended to respect physical distance in and out of the water,
• The European emergency number is 112 and the maritime emergency number is 196.

• If this is your own swimming pool, do not invite too many children your house.
• Vigilance is essential, especially during festive occasions, even in the presence of several people.
• Bathe at the same time as your childrenor watch them constantly and closely
• Do not be absent, even for a short time
• Designate a single person responsible for monitoring so as not to rely on each other. Remember that in 68% of cases of drowning that took place in an inground family pool, a safety device had been installed (barrier, alarm, cover or shelter). It therefore appears essential to supervise children when swimming in the pool and to define a single responsible adult, at all times, to supervise the child, even if he has armbands.
• Explain to your child the dangers of water and make sure he wears his armbands permanently (CE marking and NF 13138-1 standard) adapted to the size, weight and age of the child. Avoid buoys and other floating items (boats, mattresses, etc.) that do not protect against drowning.
• When swimming, remember to pose next to the pool: a pole, a buoy and a telephone to alert, if necessary, the emergency services as soon as possible.

“When the bath is stopped, as soon as the buoys are removed, dry the child and immediately take him out of the pool enclosure. Close the access. Nothing is more tempting for a child than to immediately plunge back into the water” warn health professionals in “The guide that protects children and infantsof Harmonie Mutuelles.

Since 2003, the “swimming pool safety” law, requires owners to install four devices:

• approved barriers,
• covers (floating or bar tarpaulins),
• shelters (up or down)
• pool alarms (in accordance with standard NF P90-307-1: 2009).

This safety device has greatly reduced the number of drownings among young children. However, even with these elements, active parental vigilance and supervision should not be reduced. If it’s about your pool, do not invite too many children to bathe at the same time. Finally, when your little one is swimming, place a pole, a buoy and a mobile phone near the pool so that you can react quickly if necessary. If you have a swimming pool that is not buried in the ground, remember to remove the ladder after each swim in order to block access.

Teach your child to swim from the age of 6 as far as possible. By supporting him in the water, teaching him to do the plank, or enrolling him in lessons in a swimming pool. Summer is the perfect time to make them want to jump in the watersafely !

What is the Aquatic Ease plan?

The “Aquatic ease” plan, launched in April 2019 by the Minister of Sports, Roxana MARACINEANU, aims to better prevent the risk of drowning particularly by making parents responsible. The goal: teach children how to float and this, from an early age, while making them aware of the pleasures of water. Moreover, within the framework of the national system “I’m learning to swim, the ministry of sports finances swimming lessons during school holidays, on weekends or during extracurricular times. Finally, a series of 7 tutorials for families, are carried out in a swimming pool. Parents can thus pass on to their child what they have learned to familiarize themselves with the aquatic environment and feel safer in the water. Site Info www.sports.gouv.fr/Aisance-Aquatique