Preventing drowning in children.

Every year, summer is a time for students to rest, play, and relieve stress after a year of intense studying. However, this is also a time when the risk of accidents and injuries, especially drowning, increases.

In recent years, numerous tragic drowning incidents have occurred throughout the country and in many localities, claiming the lives of many children and leaving immense pain and loss for families and society.

Drowning accidents can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. This danger lurks not only in areas with dense networks of rivers, ponds, lakes, streams, canals, ditches, or construction pits... In just a few short minutes, if not detected and rescued promptly and correctly, the consequences can be extremely serious.

The main causes of drowning accidents in children are their young age, their hyperactivity and curiosity, and their lack of full awareness of the dangers; their lack of swimming skills and water safety skills; and their unsupervised swimming in rivers, ponds, and lakes. In addition, many families are negligent and do not closely supervise their children; and areas around ponds, lakes, rivers, and water reservoirs are not adequately fenced or marked with warning signs.

We need to implement the following measures effectively to prevent and combat drowning accidents:

It is necessary to strengthen management and supervision, and absolutely not allow children to swim or bathe in ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, canals, or ditches without adult supervision.

Regularly remind and educate children about the safety risks of playing near deep water; do not allow children to play in areas with a potential risk of drowning.

Proactively implement safety measures at home such as covering water tanks, jars, and containers; fencing off ponds, lakes, and wells; and placing warning signs in hazardous areas.

Create opportunities for children to learn to swim, learn water safety skills, and learn how to handle situations when they encounter drowning accidents.

When traveling on waterways, such as by ferry or boat, or engaging in recreational activities in river areas, wear a life jacket and use safe transportation methods.

To proactively protect themselves and their families, parents need to educate their children about the following safety principles:

Do not swim freely without supervision: Absolutely do not go swimming in rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, etc., without adult supervision, regardless of whether you know how to swim or not.

Avoid dangerous play: Do not play, chase, or push each other near the edges of ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, or on unstable bridges, as it is very easy to slip and fall into the water.

Do not jump in to rescue someone on your own: When you see a friend or someone else drowning, absolutely do not jump in to save them unless you have professional rescue skills. Rushing in could put you in danger.

Drowning accidents are entirely preventable if every family and society as a whole raises awareness and responsibility in managing, educating, and protecting children. Every act of care and reminder from adults today can help prevent a heartbreaking accident from happening. For the safety of children, for the happiness of every family, let's actively work together to implement effective drowning prevention measures so that children can have a joyful, safe, healthy, and enriching summer.

Source: https://soyte.camau.gov.vn/bai-khoa-hoc-chinh-tri-va-xa-hoi/phong-chong-duoi-nuoc-o-tre-em-300312