Summer is here and it is a great time for children to hit the swimming pool. But parents should remember that swimming also comes with risk. Follow these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics to protecting children from drowning.

Pool Safety

  • Never leave children alone in or near the pool or spa, even for a moment; close supervision by a responsible adult is the best way to prevent drowning in children.
  • Whenever children under age 5 are in or around water, an adult – preferably one who knows how to swim and perform CPR – should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”
  • Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd’s hook – a long pole with a hook on the end — and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd’s hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.
  • Children over age 1 may be at a lower risk of drowning if they have had some formal swimming instruction. However, there is no evidence that swimming lessons or water survival skills courses can prevent drowning in babies younger than 1 year of age.
  • Avoid entrapment: Suction from pool and spa drains can trap a swimmer underwater. Do not use a pool or spa if there are broken or missing drain covers.  Ask your pool operator if your pool or spa’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act.

View Additional Pool Safety Tips

Boat Safety

  • Children should wear life jackets at all times when on boats, docks or near bodies of water.
  • Make sure the life jacket is the right size for your child. The jacket should not be loose and should always be worn as instructed with all straps belted.

View Additional Boast Safety and Open Water Safety Tips


What are the symptoms of an ear infection?

Your child may have many symptoms during an ear infection. Here are a few of the symptoms of Ear Infection.

  • Pain. The most common symptom of an ear infection is pain. Older children can tell you that their ears hurt. Younger children may only seem irritable and cry. You may notice this more during feedings because sucking and swallowing may cause painful pressure changes in the middle ear.
  • Loss of appetite. Your child may have less of an appetite because of the ear pain.
  • Trouble sleeping. Your child may have trouble sleeping because of the ear pain.
  • Fever. Your child may have a temperature ranging from 100°F (normal) to 104°F.
  • Ear drainage. You might notice yellow or white fluid, possibly blood-tinged, draining from your child’s ear. The fluid may have a foul odor and will look different from normal earwax (which is orange-yellow or reddish-brown). Pain and pressure often decrease after this drainage begins, but this doesn’t always mean that the infection is going away. If this happens it’s not an emergency, but your child will need to see your pediatrician.
  • Trouble hearing. During and after an ear infection, your child may have trouble hearing for several weeks. This occurs because the fluid behind the eardrum gets in the way of sound transmission. This is usually temporary and clears up after the fluid from the middle ear drains away.

Other causes of ear pain

There are other reasons why your child’s ears may hurt besides an ear infection. The following can cause ear pain:

  • An infection of the skin of the ear canal often called “swimmer’s ear”
  • Reduced pressure in the middle ear from colds or allergies
  • A sore throat
  • Teething or sore gums
  • Inflammation of the eardrum alone during a cold (without fluid buildup)

Check with one of our doctors to learn more. Call us today to make an appointment. Walk-ins Welcome.

Learn More – HealthChildren.org