Granger Smith "infant self-rescue" technique

[Anonymous]

Amber Smith is actually claiming she didn't know how dangerous it was for small kids to have access to a pool? What? Who doesn't know this???

I know they must feel terrible about their part in what happened, but the most important part of the equation is supervision. Come on, does anyone REALLY not know how dangerous a pool is? Really? Doesn't insurance go up when you have a pool -- at a minimum this would tip someone off that it's dangerous. This "infant self-rescue" technique is absurd and cruel. Infants are not responsible for keeping themselves alive -- adults are.

[Anonymous]

I had to look this up because I had no idea who Amber Smith is. Anyway, yes, I agree that supervision and adequate pool safeguards (like a fence) are a priority if you have a pool. You also need to train kids how to swim.

We don't have a pool in our backyard but pool drownings are one of my husband's big worries because he had a childhood friend who died that way. As soon as our kids were 2-3 months old, we were taking them into the pool and teaching them how to float, and how to turn over from their bellies to their backs and float. Learning to float and swim isn't foolproof and good swimmers still drown but being able to float at the very least can help you save your own life, even if you're just a baby or toddler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had to look this up because I had no idea who Amber Smith is. Anyway, yes, I agree that supervision and adequate pool safeguards (like a fence) are a priority if you have a pool. You also need to train kids how to swim.

We don't have a pool in our backyard but pool drownings are one of my husband's big worries because he had a childhood friend who died that way. As soon as our kids were 2-3 months old, we were taking them into the pool and teaching them how to float, and how to turn over from their bellies to their backs and float. Learning to float and swim isn't foolproof and good swimmers still drown but being able to float at the very least can help you save your own life, even if you're just a baby or toddler.

I agree. But never, ever, ever, ever leave an infant or small child unsupervised around a pool. Good God.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Amber Smith is actually claiming she didn't know how dangerous it was for small kids to have access to a pool? What? Who doesn't know this???

I know they must feel terrible about their part in what happened, but the most important part of the equation is supervision. Come on, does anyone REALLY not know how dangerous a pool is? Really? Doesn't insurance go up when you have a pool -- at a minimum this would tip someone off that it's dangerous. This "infant self-rescue" technique is absurd and cruel. Infants are not responsible for keeping themselves alive -- adults are.

OP, you have to post a link or at least explain what you’re talking about if you want people to engage.

[Anonymous]

You all mean well, but are uninformed about the science of this topic.

Drownings are the LEADING cause of death for toddlers in our country. Those kids don't die because ("Good God") their parents leave them alone outside by the pool. In most instances, the young child were last seen inside the house fully dressed. While the frantic parent is searching the house for them, their brains are silently dying. That takes only six minutes.

The problem is that no jurisdiction in our country has passed laws which REQUIRE 4-sided fencing around in-ground pools (so if a kid wanders outside, the still cannot access the pool). Those fences need to have self-closing, self-latching gates. 4-sided fencing is PROVEN to prevent more than 80% of these fatalities.

Kids that age need "arms reach" supervision, which is very hard to achieve everyday all day. So, passive measures (=4 sided fencing is what society needs to mandate). Not alarms or covers, which have not been evaluated. It really is that simple. But policy makers have not had the political will to stop these deaths.

[Anonymous]

Here is what the American Academy of Pediatrics (and EVIDENCE) recommends:

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/5/e20190850/37134/Prevention-of-Drowning?autologincheck=redirected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all mean well, but are uninformed about the science of this topic.

Drownings are the LEADING cause of death for toddlers in our country. Those kids don't die because ("Good God") their parents leave them alone outside by the pool. In most instances, the young child were last seen inside the house fully dressed. While the frantic parent is searching the house for them, their brains are silently dying. That takes only six minutes.

The problem is that no jurisdiction in our country has passed laws which REQUIRE 4-sided fencing around in-ground pools (so if a kid wanders outside, the still cannot access the pool). Those fences need to have self-closing, self-latching gates. 4-sided fencing is PROVEN to prevent more than 80% of these fatalities.

Kids that age need "arms reach" supervision, which is very hard to achieve everyday all day. So, passive measures (=4 sided fencing is what society needs to mandate). Not alarms or covers, which have not been evaluated. It really is that simple. But policy makers have not had the political will to stop these deaths.

I'm sorry, but if you have a pool you don't let your kids have unsupervised access to it. Just like poisons or knives or hot stoves -- you make sure it doesn't happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to look this up because I had no idea who Amber Smith is. Anyway, yes, I agree that supervision and adequate pool safeguards (like a fence) are a priority if you have a pool. You also need to train kids how to swim.

We don't have a pool in our backyard but pool drownings are one of my husband's big worries because he had a childhood friend who died that way. As soon as our kids were 2-3 months old, we were taking them into the pool and teaching them how to float, and how to turn over from their bellies to their backs and float. Learning to float and swim isn't foolproof and good swimmers still drown but being able to float at the very least can help you save your own life, even if you're just a baby or toddler.

I agree. But never, ever, ever, ever leave an infant or small child unsupervised around a pool. Good God.

Hi, I'm the first poster. I thought I was clear that I was not advocating an infant or small child be outside by a pool unsupervised so I appreciate your response. I completely agree about not leaving a small child or infant unsupervised by a pool. Actually, I would never leave them outside, with a gated pool, unsupervised. My point is that babies and toddlers can be and need to be taught how to float no matter what, even if you don't have your own pool. You never know when a child will be around water and, as the saying goes, accidents happen. We need to teach our kids things that we hope they will never need to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is what the American Academy of Pediatrics (and EVIDENCE) recommends:

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/5/e20190850/37134/Prevention-of-Drowning?autologincheck=redirected

It says for toddler drownings:

The primary problem for this young age group is lack of barriers to prevent unanticipated, unsupervised access to water, including in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, bathtubs, natural bodies of water, and standing water in homes (buckets, tubs, and toilets). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that 69% of children younger than 5 years of age were not expected to be at or in the pool at the time of a drowning incident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what the American Academy of Pediatrics (and EVIDENCE) recommends:

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/5/e20190850/37134/Prevention-of-Drowning?autologincheck=redirected

It says for toddler drownings:

The primary problem for this young age group is lack of barriers to prevent unanticipated, unsupervised access to water, including in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, bathtubs, natural bodies of water, and standing water in homes (buckets, tubs, and toilets). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that 69% of children younger than 5 years of age were not expected to be at or in the pool at the time of a drowning incident.

This. Most kids drown at a "non swimming time." I also wonder how many of them don't know they will sink because they've never been in a pool without a puddle jumper. There is a growing movement against the use of these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You all mean well, but are uninformed about the science of this topic.

Drownings are the LEADING cause of death for toddlers in our country. Those kids don't die because ("Good God") their parents leave them alone outside by the pool. In most instances, the young child were last seen inside the house fully dressed. While the frantic parent is searching the house for them, their brains are silently dying. That takes only six minutes.

The problem is that no jurisdiction in our country has passed laws which REQUIRE 4-sided fencing around in-ground pools (so if a kid wanders outside, the still cannot access the pool). Those fences need to have self-closing, self-latching gates. 4-sided fencing is PROVEN to prevent more than 80% of these fatalities.

Kids that age need "arms reach" supervision, which is very hard to achieve everyday all day. So, passive measures (=4 sided fencing is what society needs to mandate). Not alarms or covers, which have not been evaluated. It really is that simple. But policy makers have not had the political will to stop these deaths.

I'm sorry, but if you have a pool you don't let your kids have unsupervised access to it. Just like poisons or knives or hot stoves -- you make sure it doesn't happen.

The lack of reading comprehension (from the "sorry" pp) is frighteningly shocking and shockingly frightening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to look this up because I had no idea who Amber Smith is. Anyway, yes, I agree that supervision and adequate pool safeguards (like a fence) are a priority if you have a pool. You also need to train kids how to swim.

We don't have a pool in our backyard but pool drownings are one of my husband's big worries because he had a childhood friend who died that way. As soon as our kids were 2-3 months old, we were taking them into the pool and teaching them how to float, and how to turn over from their bellies to their backs and float. Learning to float and swim isn't foolproof and good swimmers still drown but being able to float at the very least can help you save your own life, even if you're just a baby or toddler.

I agree. But never, ever, ever, ever leave an infant or small child unsupervised around a pool. Good God.

Hi, I'm the first poster. I thought I was clear that I was not advocating an infant or small child be outside by a pool unsupervised so I appreciate your response. I completely agree about not leaving a small child or infant unsupervised by a pool. Actually, I would never leave them outside, with a gated pool, unsupervised. My point is that babies and toddlers can be and need to be taught how to float no matter what, even if you don't have your own pool. You never know when a child will be around water and, as the saying goes, accidents happen. We need to teach our kids things that we hope they will never need to know.

We all knew what you meant. Kind of you to further clarify.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what the American Academy of Pediatrics (and EVIDENCE) recommends:

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/5/e20190850/37134/Prevention-of-Drowning?autologincheck=redirected

It says for toddler drownings:

The primary problem for this young age group is lack of barriers to prevent unanticipated, unsupervised access to water, including in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, bathtubs, natural bodies of water, and standing water in homes (buckets, tubs, and toilets). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that 69% of children younger than 5 years of age were not expected to be at or in the pool at the time of a drowning incident.

This. Most kids drown at a "non swimming time." I also wonder how many of them don't know they will sink because they've never been in a pool without a puddle jumper. There is a growing movement against the use of these.

Ugh the judgement about flotation devices would be better spent increasing access to swim classes for those who can’t afford them.

We used puddle jumpers bc as a mom of 2 young kids, the pool was stressful. We also had them spend time in the water WITHOUT the floatie, and worked to teach them to swim as early as we could.

But please realize, access to a pool is a huge privilege. Shaming people who use floatation devices is not helpful or productive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what the American Academy of Pediatrics (and EVIDENCE) recommends:

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/5/e20190850/37134/Prevention-of-Drowning?autologincheck=redirected

It says for toddler drownings:

The primary problem for this young age group is lack of barriers to prevent unanticipated, unsupervised access to water, including in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, bathtubs, natural bodies of water, and standing water in homes (buckets, tubs, and toilets). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that 69% of children younger than 5 years of age were not expected to be at or in the pool at the time of a drowning incident.

This. Most kids drown at a "non swimming time." I also wonder how many of them don't know they will sink because they've never been in a pool without a puddle jumper. There is a growing movement against the use of these.

Ugh the judgement about flotation devices would be better spent increasing access to swim classes for those who can’t afford them.

We used puddle jumpers bc as a mom of 2 young kids, the pool was stressful. We also had them spend time in the water WITHOUT the floatie, and worked to teach them to swim as early as we could.

But please realize, access to a pool is a huge privilege. Shaming people who use floatation devices is not helpful or productive.

People who don't have access to pools are not the ones whose toddlers are wandering into them at off times. Read the articles - this family, Bodie Miller's daughter, Levi Hughes - all UMC or rich white kids. And they are ALL anti puddle jumper and blame it in some way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what the American Academy of Pediatrics (and EVIDENCE) recommends:

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/5/e20190850/37134/Prevention-of-Drowning?autologincheck=redirected

It says for toddler drownings:

The primary problem for this young age group is lack of barriers to prevent unanticipated, unsupervised access to water, including in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, bathtubs, natural bodies of water, and standing water in homes (buckets, tubs, and toilets). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that 69% of children younger than 5 years of age were not expected to be at or in the pool at the time of a drowning incident.

This. Most kids drown at a "non swimming time." I also wonder how many of them don't know they will sink because they've never been in a pool without a puddle jumper. There is a growing movement against the use of these.

Ugh the judgement about flotation devices would be better spent increasing access to swim classes for those who can’t afford them.

We used puddle jumpers bc as a mom of 2 young kids, the pool was stressful. We also had them spend time in the water WITHOUT the floatie, and worked to teach them to swim as early as we could.

But please realize, access to a pool is a huge privilege. Shaming people who use floatation devices is not helpful or productive.

Shaming? Privilege? Is this a joke?