NO flotation device can take the place of adult supervision.
What was meant to be a birthday treat for one-year-old baby girl Xiao Ai, turned into a nightmare when she nearly added to the shocking statistics of babies drowning in the pool yearly.
Xiao Ai’s mother took her to a baby spa at a leisure centre in Fuzhou, China. After the toddler was fitted with a neck float, she was put into a 10 square metre infant pool. But because she feared that the neck float was too loose, the mother removed the flotation device and then placed her toddler on top of a round buoy.
It Just Took a Split Second
Babies and toddlers should be watched at ALL times.
The accident happened when staff members had to step away from the pool to deal with goods delivery. CCTV footage also suggested that the mother was answering a message on her phone at the moment when Xiao Ai slipped off the buoy.
Nobody saw it happen and Xiao Ai ended up spending about a minute in the water before she was rescued.
Both the staff and her mother tried to perform first aid before sending the toddler to the hospital. Upon arrival, Dr. Lin Shuyin, met a lifeless toddler who had no heartbeat. Xiao Ai was given an adrenaline shot and only started breathing again after 20 minutes of CPR.
Xiao Ai nearly added to the sad statistics of the many babies drowning in the pool every year. Even though she is stable for now, she continues to receive treatment in intensive care. Her parents were accompanied by a staff from the pool and the management has promised to pay part of the toddler’s medical bills.
Babies Drowning in the Pool: We Can STOP This
We can see why parents love to send their babies to their very own personal spa. However, parents need to be constantly aware that flotation and aquatic toys are not safety devices. One of the reasons why there are so many children and babies drowning in the pool is also caused by this misconception. If your child is unable to swim, they can easily drown when their aquatic toy fails or is used incorrectly.
In fact, children injured while playing with a toy in the water are at an even greater risk of drowning.
Parents and carers must constantly watch their children when they are using these types of toys or any flotation device. Developing young children generally, have limited motor (brain to muscle) coordination. Babies and young children also do not understand potentially dangerous situations or know how to react to them.
Remember that no matter how fun a day at the baby spa is, in the end, it is still an isolated activity. There is next to no human contact, and there are a lot of opportunities for parents to get carried away or distracted while waiting. It is different from parents who are actually in the pool bonding with their child so that they can safely explore the water in a relaxed environment.
So remember parents. Baby spas may seem fun and hip and happening to you. But remember that NO safety precautions can take the place of adult supervision.
Source: South China Morning Post
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