To the editor: Thanks for the current article elevating consciousness about stopping childhood drowning and the necessity for stronger prevention methods (“A child can drown in seconds. Doctors want more families to be prepared,” July 4). A quick lapse in supervision ought to by no means end result within the loss of life of a kid.
For youngsters ages 1 to 4, two interventions ought to be thought-about important supervision instruments. First, each residential pool the place a younger youngster lives or visits ought to be protected by a professionally put in four-sided isolation fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate, assembly the Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines. Second, younger youngsters and unskilled swimmers ought to put on a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at any time when they’re in or round any physique of water.
California has made progress: Assembly Bill 2146, which took impact this 12 months, prohibits the sale and distribution of non-U.S. Coast Guard-approved flotation units. However California legislation nonetheless doesn’t require four-sided isolation fencing, regardless of sturdy proof that it prevents drownings (it’s only an possibility for residential swimming pools).
Irvine’s Floatie Exchange Program, launched beneath former Mayor Larry Agran (my husband), affords one other mannequin by encouraging households to interchange unsafe floaties with Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
Requiring isolation fencing statewide and increasing applications reminiscent of Irvine’s would save younger lives.
Phyllis Agran, Irvine
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To the editor: The article elevating consciousness about stopping childhood drowning covers important interventions that may stop tragedies. But it surely fails to deal with the water-safety wants of kids with disabilities.
An Australian study discovered that youngsters with autistic spectrum problems drown at 3 times the speed of their friends with out such problems. These youngsters could also be drawn to water in swimming pools or in water retention areas after a storm and their tendency to wander locations them at specific danger.
Swim classes tailor-made to youngsters with autism may also help construct expertise and consciousness of water security. Mother and father of Southern California Regional Heart purchasers ought to communicate to their shopper providers coordinators about state funding which will make such swimming classes free for his or her youngster.
Marc Lerner, Irvine
