Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
We're talking about strategies for coping with the height of summer this week on Healthwatch. A pool party is a great way to beat the heat, but doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center say you need to take some precautions to keep everyone safe.
Dr. Steven Kernie, a pediatric critical care expert at UT Southwestern, says you should designate an adult to watch kids in the water. At parties, it's easy for adults to assume that someone else is keeping an eye on the children, and that's when drownings or other accidents can happen. If you have a designated water watcher, you know someone's responsible for monitoring the swimmers.
You should also have a phone handy to call 911 immediately in an emergency. A cell phone or cordless phone should be fully charged and near the pool.
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August 2005
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