Your Child’s Swimsuit Colour Could Save Their Life

One of the best things about Australian Summer is the time spent with family and friends around water; Our beaches, backyard pools, dams, rivers, creeks, lakes and waterfalls. Water based activities are a fundamental part of our Summer, however when risks are not managed they can lead to submersion related injuries that often have lifelong effects, or drowning deaths. 

Between 2019-2020 there were 545 hospitalisation cases and 225 deaths (adults and children), with swimming pools the most common location for drowning and submersion injuries, and natural bodies of water the most common for drowning deaths. Children under 5 had the highest rate of hospitalisation. And do you know what? These numbers are 35% fewer than the year before, due to Covid restrictions between the March - May on movement and social interactions. 

It is important to remember that these incidents can happen for children in just a few cm of water, making anything that can hold water a potential drowning hazard, so please still consider water safety principles around bodies of water like baths, esky’s, buckets, bird baths, puddles, or fish ponds. 

There are 4 steps to consider when it comes to kids and water to ensure maximum safety; supervise, restrict access, water awareness, and CPR/First Aid knowledge. Want to know more? Read the full blog here. 

Your child’s swimsuit colour could save their life.

If there is one thing on your Christmas list from family and friends this year, make it bright coloured swimsuits/wetsuits. Bright yellow, orange, pinks, reds and neon coloured swimsuits could literally save their life, while it is best to avoid dark greens, blues, whites and other dark shades. 

@aquaticsafetyconnection has some fantastic infographics and test results that show how much the visibility of a colour can change underwater depending on the environment. This is particularly concerning in being able to quickly locate someone in the case of an emergency. 

Think about the environment you are swimming in; murky lakes, creeks or rivers, rough beaches, the colour of the tiles at the bottom of the pool, and light can all affect your child’s visibility in the water. It is safest to ensure they are wearing bright neon or contrasting colours to allow you and others the ability to locate them in the case of an emergency. 

Greens, teals, blues, white and other dark colours are less visible, blending in with the water and distorting what we can see when underneath.

Neon and bright colours are also more visible when there is surface disturbance, think about how clear things look in calm waters compared to when there is agitation. Movement in water distorts colours and it becomes easy to mistake a person in distress as shadows, rocks, leaves, vegetation or even rubbish. 

Drowning is the third most common cause of death for children in Australia aged 1-14, with 1-2 year olds at particularly high risk. Children can drown quickly and silently (20 seconds is all it takes), so being able to easily see your children in the water can save much valuable time in an emergency. 

We particularly love these wetsuits from @daysinthesand, they have perfect examples of bright neon colours in their range, making it easy to spot your little one while letting them explore and play safer around water. 

References: 

https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/injury/drowning-and-submersion 

https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Safety_In_and_around_water/

Written on the 16th of January 2022. As always, information on this website is for educational purposes only.

Please consult your GP for information specific to your child.