Water Safety (Recreational)
Basics
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Research
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Summary
Playing in the water - whether swimming, boating or diving - can be fun. It can also be dangerous, especially for children. Being safe can help prevent injuries and drowning. To stay safe in the water
- Avoid alcohol when swimming or boating
- Wear a life jacket whenever you're in a boat
- Don't swim alone, or in bad weather
- Learn CPR
- Learn to swim and teach your children to swim
- Supervise your children when they are in the water
- Prevent sunburns - use plenty of sunscreen
Related Issues
- "Swimmer's Ear" (Otitis Externa) Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Cercarial Dermatitis (Swimmer's Itch) FAQs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Diarrhea and Swimming (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Diving Medicine: Frequently Asked Questions (Divers Alert Network)
- Hot Tub Rash (Pseudomonas Dermatitis/Folliculitis) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- I've Been Stung: What Should I Do? (Divers Alert Network)
- Leptospirosis Risk in Outdoor Activities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
-
Risky Drinking Can Put a Chill on Your Summer Fun
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Scuba Diving Safety (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Swimming Pools and Molluscum Contagiosum (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Health Check Tools
- Water Safety (American Red Cross)
Statistics and Research
- CDC Study Finds Fecal Contamination in Pools (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
Children
- Swimming (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Swimming Pool Safety (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Water Safety (Nemours Foundation)
Patient Handouts
- "Hot Tub Rash" and "Swimmer's Ear" (Pseudomonas) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish