The story below (in italics) by Kathy Sundstrum appeared in the Sunshine Coast Daily…
This is a really positive story about the impact that teaching a child appropriate water safety skills can have on helping to protect their lives AND the importance of Supervision, and I encourage you all to read the story for exactly those purposes, however…. this is NOT about the effectiveness or otherwise of pool fencing despite the twisting language of the Journalist (see the commentary below the article)…. the original story can be located here
THE pool fence made no difference in protecting little Haylie Fulwood from a near-drowning experience. What saved the two-year-old toddler was the $12 a week swimming lesson.
Haylie’s mum Ashley Fear has encouraged every parent to enrol their children in swimming lessons after witnessing how Haylie was able to rescue herself when she fell into the family pool.
Ashley and partner Wayne were sitting outside, enjoying the sun in the outdoor area in the family’s Kawana Island home last Wednesday when they saw Haylie slip and fall into the pool.
“It happens really quickly,” Ashley said.
Before Wayne could get to her and get her out, Haylie had already mastered her own escape.
“She’d swum to the edge and was trying to get out,” Ashley said.
“It was unbelievable that she could do that and I thank God for Michelle (Haylie’s swimming coach) as she has done so well with her.
Haylie only began swimming at the Kawana Aquatic Centre last December and she “loves her swimming lessons”.
The money spent on them paid off this week.
“I didn’t expect her to fall in. I hate to think about the kids that don’t have lessons and don’t make it,” Ashley said.
The Fulwood pool had the necessary council fencing in place, but it would have made no difference in helping Haylie as she was walking in the enclosed area.
“We’ve got pool fencing and if we’re not out there, she not allowed in (the pool area),” Ashley said.
“But we have become more relaxed as, where we used to sit right next to her at the pool, we now sit at the outdoor setting and watch her.
“That she rescued herself was lucky for us as it is good to know she can do it.
“Some people say lessons are too expensive, but they are not really when you think about it. For $12 a week, they’re really worth it.”
* Drowning is the leading cause of death in children under the age of five in Australia.
* In 2008/ 2009 32 children drowned in Australia, 19 were in swimming pools
* Research estimates for every one child that drowns, 14 are taken to emergency rooms and four of those are admitted to hospital as a result of immersion
* A child can drown silently in two minutes
* The main cause of drowning has been shown to be faulty pool fencing.
* There is insufficient evidence to suggest a child under 3 can develop adequate swimming skills to prevent drowning
COMMENTARY
The Pool Fence
“THE pool fence made no difference in protecting little Haylie Fulwood from a near-drowning experience.”
The pool fence made no difference because the child was in the pool area with the knowledge of and under the supervision of her parents. This is acknowledged by the Journalist later in the article when she says
“The Fulwood pool had the necessary council fencing in place, but it would have made no difference in helping Haylie as she was walking in the enclosed area.”
The pool fence is designed to stop children getting inside the pool area…and if compliant it would assist in that function if the child had slipped out of view or was not under supervision, in times like these….
“We’ve got pool fencing and if we’re not out there, she not allowed in (the pool area),”
Supervision
I am really glad that the parents were supervising their child, but a word of caution must be given…..
“But we have become more relaxed as, where we used to sit right next to her at the pool, we now sit at the outdoor setting and watch her.
I must reiterate the advice that active supervision for children aged 0-5 involves ATTENTION,PROXIMITY, CONTINUITY.
Attention means focused EYES ON THE CHILD attention, which was obviously in place in this instance… PROXIMITY means within arms reach… CONTINUITY means continuos.. children have drowned because one adult thought another adult was supervising them.. and in that few minutes… tragedy.
Swimming Lessons
…encouraged every parent to enrol their children in swimming lessons
“Some people say lessons are too expensive, but they are not really when you think about it. For $12 a week, they’re really worth it.”
We agree, we encourage EVERY parent to get there children enrolled in classes to help teach the children the skills and drills they need to help themselves if they do fall into the water… what is the cost of swimming lessons compared to the death or life long disability of your child?
Kathy Sundstrum has written an inspiring good news piece, and apart from misrepresenting the involvement of pool fencing.. should be congratulated for helping to spread the message about pool safety…. remember there are four key elements to drowning prevention:
- SUPERVISION
- EFFECTIVE BARRIERS
- WATER FAMILIARISATION
- LEARNING CPR
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