Beach babies
You’ve brought the rash vest, the sunscreen and the flotation device, but what else do you need to keep your baby watersafe on your summer break? emma castle finds out.
Keep your baby sun- and water-safe this summer with these essential safety tips from Emma Castle.
Summer is here, and Aussies are doing what Aussies do best: grabbing the beach umbrellas, some sunscreen and all our loved ones, and heading to the water. But with all the fun comes the need to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to keep your water-loving tots safe.
Water wise
Recent research by Royal Life Saving has found children under five are at the highest risk of drowning, with tots aged between 12 and 35 months firmly in the danger zone. An average of 28 children under the age of five have drowned in Australia per year over the past 10 years, more than half of the time in the more trusted, calm waters of a swimming pool. With the risk of drowning very real, here are a few guidelines for a safe and happy summer holiday.
Janie Mccullagh, Senior First Aid Trainer at Red Cross, says that the main risk to babies and toddlers around water is that they have no perception or understanding of danger.
“If they’re submerged in water, they won’t know what to do unless they have been taught,” she says.
While some people argue that babies can’t learn to swim, the Australian Swim Schools Association recommends formal swimming lessons start from around four months of age. Lessons help babies feel comfortable, show parents safe ways to bond with their baby while in the water and teach babies to reach for the side of the pool.
Supervision is entirely non-negotiable. As tempting as it might be to read a book under a tree, a lack of adult supervision is the number-one contributing factor to accidental drownings. If you’re with your partner or a group of friends, allocate a designated child supervisor to minimise confusion around who is watching the kids.
Never let your child play near an unfenced pool and encourage pool owners to regularly check their pool fences and gates. Make sure that everyone – including older kids – know the dangers of propping pool gates open.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s product safety guidelines state that swimming and flotation aids are not safety devices and they are not designed to prevent drowning. When choosing swimming and flotation aids, follow the manufacturer’s age and weight recommendations.
Sun smart
It’s not recommended to put sunscreen on a baby under six months of age due to their sensitive skin. Doctors recommend keeping babies this age in the shade at all times.
Once old enough, baby-specific sunscreens such as the Banana Boat for Babies range offer UVA and UVB protection in 50+, but you should still seek shade, especially when UV levels peak between 10am and 2pm (or 11am and 3pm during daylight saving periods).
Wide-brimmed hats with chin ties and full-length, zip-up bodysuits with long sleeves are ideal. Sunglasses are also recommended, as babies have larger pupils and clearer lenses than we adults do. Babiators makes a range of sunglasses with straps that are suitable for kids up to two years of age.
If your child does get sunburnt, they should avoid further exposure to the sun, sip water regularly, have cool baths, rest and, if directed by a doctor, take paracetamol for the pain. If they display symptoms including high body temperature, a dry swollen tongue, darkcoloured urine with a strong smell, a throbbing headache and muscle cramps, confusion, nausea or loss of consciousness, they may have sunstroke. If you observe any of the above signs and symptoms, call 000.
Remember that children under eight years old need at least four glasses of water a day, and more if they’re out in the sun a lot.