Drowning is the second leading cause of death of children age 1-4.[Life raft] Although 56% of these drownings occurred in artificial water such as swimming pools and bathtubs, another 26% of these deaths occurred in lakes, reservoirs and other bodies of freshwater.

As the weather gets warmer and families move to outdoor activities such as boating and camping, it's important to remind ourselves that we need to protect our children so that they do not become a statistic. It is not just vital, but it is an absolute necessity that whenever you're around water you take the measures to attire your kids with the proper personal floatation devices.dehuan08raft

It only takes a couple minutes for water accidents to occur, and almost all of them occur in the presence of a parent or guardian. Don't even think twice about going boating, or camping near water, with your kids until you know you have packed the appropriate personal floatation devices...ie: children's life vests/life jackets.

What You Need To Know About Choosing The Best Children's Life Vest

1) Make sure that the life vest (personal flotation device) for your child is US Coast Guard approved. The label inside the jacket must read that it is "US Coast Guard" approved which means that it has the minimum buoyancy for your child's weight and has been impact tested. Do not invest in a life jacket that does not have this approval.

2) The fit and size of the life vest should be weight appropriate. The vest should not be too large or too small. If the life jacket/plastic components is too large your child can easily slip out. A good test of size is when your child raises their arms above their heads (if they're old enough to do so), the top of the jacket should not go above their ears. If the jacket is too small, the child will feel too restricted (and yes, beg to have the jacket taken off which parents tend to give in to...so resist and choose the right size jacket to avoid these confrontations).

3) For infants and toddlers under the age of 3 years old, and under the weight of 30 pounds, the personal floatation should have a head and neck rest, a strap that slips under the child's crotch to prevent them from slipping out of the life vest, and a hook on the back of the vest to assist adults in easily pulling the child out of the water.

4) The best childrens life vest are brightly colored and highly visibly. These bright colors assist in water rescue and visibility for boats. Bright orange and yellow are the most visible colors.

5) Nylon versus neoprene fabric. Nylon vests tend to be less expensive, however they offer no less buoyancy. Neoprene fabric are softer, and therefore less scratchy, and more comfortable. The difference in fabric does not affect the safety of the vest, so if nylon is the one that fits the budget it will be no less effective or safe than a neoprene child's life jacket.

Following these 5 important guidelines when choosing a child's life vest will put your mind at ease on those summer water outings and lakeside camping trips. Investing in the proper life vest is a very very small price to pay compared to the price of losing your child.

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