Water and swim safety tips:
- Remove hearing devices after giving your child safety instructions and store them in a safe/dry place. As your child gets older, teach them to do this for themselves. Cochlear implants do have waterproof accessories.
- Reinforce safety rules often as DHH kids don’t always hear these fully. They also miss the incidental instructions given by other parents or families about water safety.
- Remind your child to look at you, their friends, and lifeguards regularly in case they are trying to get their attention. Agree on some safety hand signals if your child doesn’t sign.
- Inform the lifeguards of your child’s deafness and that they may be slow to respond or need hand signals if they can’t hear their whistle.
- Make it easier to identify your child by dressing them in bright colours. This is more important in a busy pool or beach environment.
- Have your child wear ear plugs if they are prone to ear infections and dry your child’s ears well before putting on hearing devices.
