Keep Your Child Safe in the Water

Summer is a time when families stream to pools, parks, beaches and lakes to cool down and enjoy the water. Playing in the water is a fun and happy experience, but drowning or near-drowning can occur in moments. Last year in California, drowning accidents were the cause of death for more than 360 people; 77 of these victims were younger than 13 years of age. Drowning is the leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 5 and 24 and the second cause of death for children under 5 years. And sadly, most drownings happen in home swimming pools. The frightening reality is that within seconds a child may slip into the water, swallow large amounts of water, and slip into unconsciousness. A child may lose permanent brain function within 2-4 minutes if s/he remains under the water. Often life ceases within four minutes or a drowning victim is left with permanent brain damage.

But swimming and water activities are a wonderful form of recreation and exercise for children, and should be encouraged. So, to to ensure the safety of your children, practice key preventative tactics around water, whether it is a bathtub, hot tub, swimming pool, pond, lake, or ocean:

DO

· Stay within arms reach of your child if your child is not able to swim

· Have your child take swim lessons to become a competent swimmer

· Teach your child to respect water; never turn your back on the waves

· Teach your child to obey and read the rules at the pool, water park, beach, etc

· Get out of the water when tired or when the water gets too rough

· Swim in sight of the lifeguard and in designated swim areas

· Go down the slide feet first and face up

· Wear protective footwear if the ground is rough, rocky or slippery

DO NOT

· Never let your children swim alone

· Don't swim out too far or too deep

· Don't swim in the dark

· Do not allow them to run, push or jump on each other

· Don't dive in areas that aren't designated for diving

· Don't swim or play in dark or murky water because you can't see the bottom and obstructed debris or plant material may endanger your child

· Do not swim or boat in a storm. Water and electricity are a dangerous combination

· Do not swim close to rocks or piers. If the water becomes rough you can be thrown against them.

· Don't chew gum or eat while swimming. You could choke.

· Get out of the water if you feel a cramp. Wait until your muscles relax before returning to water.

PARENTS!

· Learn how to swim yourself

· Become certified in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

· Keep your eyes on your children at all times

· Keep a phone near you in case you need to dial 911

Remember:

§ Do not depend on lifeguards to be watch your child every moment because they have many people to watch over

§ An adult who can swim must always remain on the pool deck or shore watching the child regardless of how strong a swimmer a child is

§ Inflatable devices and other types of flotation devices do not guarantee safety

§ Children should not play in deep water unless they have demonstrated that they have the endurance to tread water, stay afloat, and swim for an extended period

§ When swimming at the beach, check with the lifeguards to determine the water conditions

It is always smart to go to a pool, lake or beach where lifeguards are on duty. Lifeguards greatly improve safety; they receive training in accident prevention, CPR and AED utilization, and basic first aid. However, do not give them full responsibility for your child's life, they have dozens of people to keep their eye on and if they are occupied by another emergency your child is further at risk.

While water wings and other inflatable devices can allow for a wonderful experience for a non-swimmer, they absolutely will not keep a child from drowning. Inflatable devices often lose air due to small holes and prolonged water and sun exposure. A child's face can easily go below the surface if the device is not properly inflated. Remember, these are not life-saving devices.

Even life jackets provide no guarantees. A child may lose his/her balance or get knocked over easily when wearing a bulky life jacket. Startled and submerged, a child may gulp in water.

You can prevent water accidents when you follow these safety guidelines. To help you keep your children safe in and around water, Abilities United Aquatic Services, located at 3864 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto 650-494-1480, aquatics@AbilitiesUnited.org offers

· CPR

· AED

· nanny safety-course

· children's swim lessons

· adult swim lessons (both group (1:8) and individual sessions to match your schedule)

· two-hour community water safety course (July 16, 6:00-8:00pm; August 27, 6:00-8:00pm)

Jump in the water with your child this summer! You'll have a safe and happy time if you are ready for action should you need to take it.

Author:

Renate Henry Olaisen, Director of Abilities United Aquatic Services, is certified with the American Red Cross and lectures frequently on water safety to small groups, schools and workplaces. In addition, Renate teaches aquatic certification courses at Abilities United.

Reprinted with permission from Parenting on the Peninsula

The impact of volunteers at Abilities United goes beyond time and talent to donations

Nonprofit leaders and staff understand the importance of the work and contributions of their volunteers. The volunteers share their time and talent, but they also are ambassadors of Abilities United, and donors to the organization.

There are so many service, administration, fundraising, and business functions that would never get done without the dedication of our wonderful volunteers. in 2009/2010 Abilities United was privileged to receive nearly 9,000 hours of volunteer services valued at $250,000! And 2011 is looking just as good.

But recently we were reminded of how much more volunteers give to Abilities United. We were blown away to receive a $500,000 gift from the charitable remaining trust of a family whose daughter volunteered at Abilities United as a teenager! And just the other day we received $25,000 from another family whose son had volunteered with Abilities United back in the 1970's! What amazing proof that the impact of our volunteers goes WAY beyond the number of hours they give and the talents that they share.

So on behalf of Abilities United and every nonprofit, we give each and every volunteer a larger than life thanks for the many contributions you make to our community and the world!

Our first Silicon Valley Open Studio exhibit was a success!

Abilities United had the honor of being the first non-profit chosen to exhibit original works of art in the 25th annual Silicon Valley Open Studio (SVOS). We had our exhibit on Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15. Dozens of new and old Abilities United friends browsed the wide variety of original works of art (acrylics, watercolors, pencils) created by artists who participate in Abilities United services for people with developmental disabilities.

Many thanks to the art lovers who purchased 4 original works of art as well as printed art notecards. The proceeds go directly to the artists and the art program. I can image how beautiful these pieces will look in the homes and offices of the buyers.

Huge thanks to Hellen Hsieh of Design Loft in Mountain View, and her friend Bruce, for their time and talent to organize the exhibit of about 100 pieces of art. They were also fantastic and enthusiastic hosts of the two day event.

Additional thanks to George Bosworth of SVOS for inviting Abilities United artists to participate. George also got Abilities United some much needed publicity when he coordinated our co-appearance on KBAY radio.

More thanks to Patch (Palo Alto, Mountain View and Los Altos) for including Abilities United in their story "Come on in, the Door's Open" http://paloalto.patch.com/articles/come-on-in-the-doors-open.

Finally, many thanks to Allegro Framing of Portola Valley and Woodside, and Great American Framing of Palo Alto for donating frames and mats that enhance the quality of the art.

We had a wonderful time and look forward to doing more art exhibits as a part of SVOS and other community exhibits.

If you are interested in hosting an art exhibit, buying art or learning more about our art program please contact wendy@AbilitiesUnited.org or 650-618-3319

Remember, art is a universal language that brings together people from all walks of life.