(WWJ) -- School is out, and summer is underway.
That means grilling, baseball games, fishing, road trips, and of course, water.
Whether it’s a sprinkler, a slip-n-slide, going to the beach, or a good ol' backyard swimming pool, getting in the water is an essential ingredient for a Michigan summer.
But drowning remains the leading cause of death for kids ages 1-4, so Nikki Flemming, a spokesperson for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, says it’s important for adults to supervise kids when they’re around water.
“Always designate a ‘water watcher,’ especially with the younger kids, in and around water,” Fleming told WWJ. “Young children are attracted to water, so it’s important to make sure you have physical barriers put in place between your child and the water.”
It’s a step in the right direction to simply designated a “water watcher,” but Flemming says it’s imperative for that person to avoid other distractions -- including alcohol.
“Your No. 1 goal is to watch the kids only, and you’re not using your smart phone, you’re not reading, you’re not something else -- you’re not distracted at all,” Flemming said.
The CPSC says each year nationwide, about 300 children ages 5 and under drown in swimming pools, usually owned by their family, while more than 2,000 more children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for water submersion injuries.
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