The floats and sleeves, along with the bubble that was caught with a simple strap, have been the most used security elements for decades, to the point that we neither knew nor used anything else.
However, that it is the whole life does not mean that it is the safest. It has long been said that inflatable elements are dangerous and that is why experts recommend that, when going to the pool or the beach, do not use hoses or floats.
Why not inflatable cuffs and floats
The floats They are dangerous because of trust. Parents recognize them as reliable, make them feel safe and that is what makes them dangerous. A boy who is in the water should always be accompanied by an adult, and in case he is not bathing with him, he should be constantly watching him.
More than one child, in his games and moving more than normal, has managed to turn the float around, staying face down. More than one child has raised his arms and, being the largest float that the child, has sneaked through the hole until it is submerged in the water. It is enough that at that moment we are looking the other way so that the life of the child is in danger.
In regards to sleeves, as is the case with floats, can easily prick. They also have to be the right size for the child, since if they are large they can get out in case the child raises his arms (or rather, the child can get out of the sleeves). On the other hand, both floats and sleeves help children little when learning to swim, because they limit the movement of the arms a lot and, when they are without them, they don't know very well how to move the arms to float and move.
What alternatives are there?
Luckily, new elements that are safer for children and more suitable for them to learn to swim have appeared over time. The star element is churro, which helps them to float and does not support them anywhere in the body, but it is the children who must sustain themselves with it. Churros can also join in the center to make a circle that can be useful to children when they are still young. Evidently, we must be watching them continuously.
In addition to churros, there are cork board belts, which helps them to float and they can gradually withdraw as the child moves better through the water. As they are a bit damn when it comes to balancing the child (it is caught by the waist and chest and not by the armpits, although it can be regulated to help them be more vertical) forces them to be more aware of the position and in definitive It helps them to be more skilled in the water.
If you are not convinced or do not feel safe, you can always use the polystyrene sleeves They are made up of several discs. I have always used them (I have this model) and they are going very well because they cannot be punctured, they are well fixed in the arms and as the child grows and floats better they can be removing discs.
The other option is the swimsuits with integrated floats, which help the child to float leaving him free to move arms and legs.
Whatever method is chosen, the important thing that makes children safe in the water is our presence and our vigilance. Water is terribly dangerous for a child who does not know how to swim, so whenever they are inside we must watch them, because accidents happen, and they also happen when you least expect it.
Photos | iStockphoto and vastateparksstaff on Flickr
In Babies and more | Children and aquatic environments: recommendations for summer 2013, To the pool with the children! Do not take their eyes, Floats, sleeves and their risks, Precautions in the pool with children
Delphin - Sleeves to learn to swim gradually, red / yellow / green
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