As a swimming instructor, please don't use these pool items - they are not safe

Does your little one wear goggles in the pool? How about a flotation vest? This self-rescue swim teacher explained in a viral video why she wants you to throw them away.

Popular pool safety items such as goggles and flotation vests might actually be putting your child in danger in the water, one self-rescue swimming instructor believes.

In a TikTok video titled "Things that make me say ewwww as a swim instructor", US mum Nikki Scarnati listed five items she thinks should be left out of the pool.

One of the items was a puddle jumper life vest, which she says "builds false confidence" and increases the risk of drowning. 

"Throw it away please," she wrote. 

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Nikki has highlighted five products she thinks should stay out of pools. Image: Nikki.Scarnati/TikTok

"You're normalising a child needing a flotation"

Other items she highlighted as potentially problematic were goggles, as they increase a child's "fear of getting their face wet"; mermaid tails that bind a child's feet together and increase the risk of drowning; a particular brand of swim nappies that sees poo escape into pool water; and a baby pool float that "reinforces a vertical position aka the drowning position". 

 In a follow-up video supporting her stance, Nikki explained how there's a "stigma" around children requiring flotation devices in the water.

"There's such a stigma about needing flotation when it comes down to children," she explained. 

"You're normalising a child needing a flotation."

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"Self-rescue is all about preparing the child"

Nikki is an infant self-rescue swim instructor whose job is to teach children how to survive should they accidentally fall into a pool or body of water - without adult supervision and without a flotation device, for example. 

"Self-rescue is all about preparing the child if they were to fall in when they're not swimming with you. It's not about swimming across the pool all day every day." 

In response to a commenter on her original video, which has received more than 2 million views, Nikki explained her reasoning for boycotting goggles.

"I teach self-rescue lessons. You’re not going to have goggles on if you accidentally fall in. It’s my job to prepare them for that."

She explained that she works with children as young as 19 months who are able to swim unassisted, but that each child is different and progresses at their own rate. 

"Until your child can swim effectively on their own, I just recommend playing on the steps with them or hold them."

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AUSTSWIM recommends parents be within arms' reach of their children when around water. Image: iStock

Water safety tips for families

Australia's national organisation for the teaching of swimming and water safety, AUSTSWIM, says water safety begins with you.

Their top four tips for families are:

1. Be within arm’s reach when your family is in, on or around water.
2. Regardless of swimming ability, no person is drown-proof. Ensure that there is adequate supervision AT ALL TIMES when your family is in or around water.
3. Young children are fascinated by and attracted to water. Recognise or eliminate potential water dangers around your home; nappy buckets, fish ponds, bathtubs, toilets, wading or swimming pools.
4. Water’s everywhere and it’s not always clear, clean and heated. Learn water safety knowledge and personal survival skills for the beach, river, lake and even your pool at home.

More water safety tips for parents:

Learn to swim: Being able to swim well is one of the greatest gifts that can be bestowed upon a child, says Swim Australia. Babies can start a formal learn-to-swim program at four months old. Check in with your area pool complex or research local learn-to-swim coaches and start your child as early as possible.

Supervise at ALL times: Children need constant supervision when they’re in, on, or around the water.

Make sure you have everything you need: Ensure you are ready with the towels, sunscreen, clothing, flotation devices, and any other items you need. Particularly important is to have a phone at the ready. Leaving the pool area to run for the phone is exceedingly dangerous. Are you in your swimmers, or prepared to get wet? Don't supervise your child swimming if you are not prepared to get in the water to help them should they need it.

Have an emergency action plan: Because every second counts in a potential drowning, Swim Australia advises all parents to have an emergency action plan in place, particularly if you have a home pool. Revise, refresh or enroll yourself in a first aid course that includes training in cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), so you are prepared in case of an emergency. St John's Ambulance run regular First Aid courses across Australia.

Know the hazards around your home: Home pools and spas are obvious drowning hazards. But there are many other items and areas which present a drowning threat to young children around the home. Buckets, bathtubs, eskies (coolers), fountains, fishponds, drains, inflatable or wading pools, and even pet bowls all pose a significant drowning risk especially to younger children. It is crucial that these are emptied, covered, put away and not left where they can fill up with water.

Designate a 'child supervisor' at large gatherings: If you’re at a party or gathering where there is water present, such as a pool or pond, don’t assume that someone is watching your child or children. It is all too possible that no one is. Nominate a designated ‘child supervisor’ and rotate the supervision responsibilities regularly.

Don't multitask: The more distractions you have, the less focus you'll have on your child. Always put one hundred percent of your attention into supervision while they are in the water.

Pool toys are not life-savers: Pool toys bring their own set of dangers. Parents should be aware that pool toys are designed solely for fun and using them as flotation or safety devices is not recommended. Pool toys can attract small children to reach out over the edge of a pool, or to attempt access to the pool area when unsupervised. Royal Life Saving also warns they have been known to lead parents into a false sense of security as they can make a child seem more competent in the water. To ensure safe use of pool toys, keep them stored securely when not in use, check all weight and age ranges for each toy and remember that supervision is always essential.

Teach your kids some simple rules to remember at all times: AUSTSWIM recommends we teach our kids to never swim alone, always look out for pool rules, and at the beach, always swim between the flags.

Remember! Young children can drown in 5cm of water, and they can do so very quickly and quietly. The best type of safety precaution you take with your child when they are around water is to properly supervise.

Originally published as As a swimming instructor, please don't use these pool items - they are not safe