More and more each day, Mississippians are heading outdoors to enjoy our state’s gorgeous, warmer weather.
And as we rush headlong into May, the school year is quickly drawing closer to an end. For my grandkids, that will mean as much swimming as they can possibly shove into their summer break.
Yep! Summertime consists of lots of swimming for most Mississippi kids, be it Gulf Coast beaches, water parks, local lakes, or backyard pools at the homes of friends and family.
Like many other grandparents, this warmer weather led me to start thinking about purchasing some new swimsuits for the kiddos, and then I remembered an online study I saw last year on making sure to choose the safest color swimsuits for our little swimmers.
Before shopping, I headed online to search for that color study, and what I found was eye-opening! The choice a parent or grandparent makes when purchasing a swimsuit for a child can be (and has been) the difference between life and death.
Did you know that national statistics show drowning is the leading cause of death in American children ages 1-4? Sadly, more than 300 children under the age of 15 die from drowning each year, and many of those drownings occur with adults nearby.
According to ALIVE Solutions, experts in public water safety education, certain colors and prints provide better visibility in swimsuits for children. And better visibility offers parents one more tool to help keep their little swimmers safe and secure.
For several years, ALIVE Solutions has conducted safety tests on how well various swimsuits can or cannot be seen in murky lakes, as well as pools with light- and dark-colored bottom surfaces. They have also gone as far as testing patterned bathing suits.
The results are consistent and conclusive!
Neon colors are the absolute winners, with neon orange and neon pink faring very well. In every type of underwater situation, all neon-colored swimsuits were spotted much more clearly and quickly – every single time.
Children clad in white or light blue swimsuits were almost invisible underwater, and darker-colored swimsuits did not show up a whole lot better.
Large, bold patterns on swimsuits detracted from the swimmer’s visibility, even with big stripes on neon suits. However, smaller patterns did not significantly affect the visibility of bathing suits of any color selection.
So … what’s the verdict for anxious grandparent shoppers?
It’s simple! Buy those babies neon swimsuits and take them swimming. Mississippi’s beaches, lakes, water parks, and backyard pools are ready and waiting for fun and safe swimming adventures.
For more information on ALIVE’s color visibility tests or other educational materials on water safety, go to alive-solutions.com/water-safety. Or follow ALIVE’s Facebook page, Aquatic Safety Connections, at facebook.com/aquaticsafetyconnection.
