Lifetime of Safety
In my last post I highlighted the importance of swim lessons and that they start at a young age, this week I want to talk about how drowning effects individual who are a little bit older. We typically think about drowning only being a main concern for small children and infants, however individuals from the age of 5-24 is is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death (National Safety Council).
Something that tends to increase the rate of this is the false sense of confidence both parents and individuals seem to have. Parents to think that young kids in the 7-10 age group are proficient swimmers after lessons and a bit of experience and then tend to give them more space and less attention. The 15 and older age group also had less attention paid to them, but also there tends to be other risk factors involved like alochol, and drugs (CDC).
The younger of this demographic (7-15) still tend to drown within pools and spas wet her that be at home, or at a public place. This is because they tend to have less supervision in these places, and more freedom from adults than they would in a open water or fresh water setting. The older demographic or 15-24 found peril in the fresh water or ocean settings. Even if a swimmer believed that they had the skill for the area or amount of time they had to swim , currents and waves tend to over power them(NSC).
The biggest takeaway from this is that water safety is an enduring issue throughout peoples lives, it doesn't end after swim lessons or a certain test. It's also important to not combine other risk factors to water like alcohol and drugs. As long as you continue to take water safety precautions like not swimming alone, not swimming in perilous situations, and not combining risk factors, you're set to swim.
Gateway to Health Communication & Social Marketing Practice. (2017, September 15). Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/drowning.html
Drowning: It Can Happen in an Instant. (n.d.). Retrieved October 04, 2017, from http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/news-and-resources-water-safety.aspx
Something that tends to increase the rate of this is the false sense of confidence both parents and individuals seem to have. Parents to think that young kids in the 7-10 age group are proficient swimmers after lessons and a bit of experience and then tend to give them more space and less attention. The 15 and older age group also had less attention paid to them, but also there tends to be other risk factors involved like alochol, and drugs (CDC).
The younger of this demographic (7-15) still tend to drown within pools and spas wet her that be at home, or at a public place. This is because they tend to have less supervision in these places, and more freedom from adults than they would in a open water or fresh water setting. The older demographic or 15-24 found peril in the fresh water or ocean settings. Even if a swimmer believed that they had the skill for the area or amount of time they had to swim , currents and waves tend to over power them(NSC).
The biggest takeaway from this is that water safety is an enduring issue throughout peoples lives, it doesn't end after swim lessons or a certain test. It's also important to not combine other risk factors to water like alcohol and drugs. As long as you continue to take water safety precautions like not swimming alone, not swimming in perilous situations, and not combining risk factors, you're set to swim.
Gateway to Health Communication & Social Marketing Practice. (2017, September 15). Retrieved October 04, 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/drowning.html
Drowning: It Can Happen in an Instant. (n.d.). Retrieved October 04, 2017, from http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/news-and-resources-water-safety.aspx
I definitely agree that people tend to overlook young adults because they are the main ones that don't know how to swim. Even though a lot of younger kids don't know how to swim young adults tend to drown as well. I thought I was a good swimmer after I took swimming lessons as a child but it's different when you're swimming somewhere else besides a pool setting. I wen tout of the country to go swimming in the ocean and the tides were so strong I almost drowned. However, I think it should be a requirement in schools to teach kids how to swim during a P.E. class.
ReplyDeleteThis is all very true. I have a pool in my backyard and to this day, my mom likes to be home whenever my friends and family are in the pool. This is for a piece of mind even though she knows I am a good swimmer and trusts my friends. Additionally, when I turned 21, my mom told my friends and I that we could drink and swim but only if she was home. These are good practices for a pool owner and a mother that cares for her older children and their friends.
ReplyDeleteThis is very agreeable, it is very important to take highly skilled and well taught swim lessons. All it takes is one tall wave or one wrong step and a child, or an adult can drown and possibly lose their life. I believe more people should take swimming lessons into consideration for children who are young and adults are never too old to learn.
ReplyDeleteThis is true, it's important to take advantage of these lessons and make sure that you are being taught effectively. I think it's also important to realize that you're never too old to learn how to swim, because taking the initiative to learn can save someones life.
ReplyDeletehey you have made a fantastic point here. Many adults don't try to learn to swim as if it is already a lost cause, but will sign their child up to learn. I am no teacher by any means, but I taught my ex husband to swim. I like that you mentioned the outside factors that contribute the drownings, I think many people fail to think about the dangers of the open waters as well as the effects of alcohol. An old family friend of mine was take by the open water. there was some sort of whirl pool that occurred while him and his brother were swimming and he was not able to escape the tide. This man was a strong swimmer on swim team and all and died. we need to remain aware of the risk of swimming,while it is something that is still fun and exciting.
ReplyDeleteOlder individuals definitely have high chances of drowning. I think especially when people play too much in pools and when people think they can swim but in all actuality cant swim. Drowning is very scary. I always wanted to be a lifeguard, I was just never old enough to do it.
ReplyDeleteI think adults who have never learned to swim definitely should. It's never too late and your safety should always come first. Many people don't think of fully grown people when they think of people drowning, but it is a thing.
ReplyDeleteI think water safety is very important. Everyone loves the water to play in so why not make sure your are doing it in a safe way. Young adults are often over looked because they believe they are older and just assume they know how to swim when the adults are the main people who do not.
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