Check Your Child's Life Jacket

Photo By Pamela Doty | Blog Header Picture  

UNITED STATES

11.30.2022

Story by Pamela Doty 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Water Safety

When you’re in, on, or near open waters (lakes, rivers, etc.) wearing a properly-fitted life jacket is always the best practice. Getting younger children to wear one is sometimes a challenge. This blog has information you should know about checking your child’s life jacket and preventing childhood drownings. Swimming lessons can help reduce tragic drowning incidents, but for a child that is in, on, or near open water, wearing a life jacket is critical.

When fitting your child with a new life jacket, the first thing to do is check the manufacturer’s label and instruction card attached. Make sure the life jacket your child is wearing is U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) approved. The new life jacket labels have information and icons to illustrate what activities the life jacket is approved for by the USCG. The label identifies buoyancy ratings (i.e. level 70, 100, etc.), user weight restrictions, whether it will turn a wearer face up in the water, and various other descriptions. The instruction card will explain all the new icons on the label and what they mean. If you misplaced the instruction card, you can take pictures of another one that is attached to a similar life jacket in a store.

Make sure the life jacket fits your child properly. Don’t buy a life jacket that your child will “grow into.” A properly worn and fastened life jacket should not ride up on their chin or cover their mouth when you pull up on the life jacket. A comfortably snug fit is ideal so the life jacket doesn’t slip off over their head in the water or cover their mouth. Keep in mind that life jackets have a tendency to float up higher on them when they’re in the water. Always use the strap that goes between their legs, if one is provided, to keep your child’s life jacket securely in place. It’s critical to test a life jacket in the water to make sure it fits your child properly. Teach them how to float and turn to keep their face out of the water while wearing their life jacket. Floating in a face-up position is not something that comes naturally to children. It’s also critical to make sure children understand that when they are not wearing a life jacket, swimming and floating requires a different set of skills.

When trying to find a life jacket that your child will wear there are many different styles to choose from. A popular style of children’s life jacket buckles in the back and only has flotation around their arms and chest area underneath their arms. The Stearns Puddle Jumper® and Body Glove Paddle Pals® are two types of these styles that are U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) approved for certain activities. For example, icons on the label show that they are not approved for personal watercraft, for water skiing, similar towed uses, or whitewater activities.

The advantage of this back-buckling style of life jacket is that a child cannot remove it by themselves. The disadvantage of this style, as well as other level 70 buoyancy, vest styles of children’s life jackets is that they are not designed to turn a child face up unassisted if they’re face down in the water. That’s why it’s critical that an adult be within arm’s reach of a child at all times when they are in, on, or near the water, even when they’re wearing a life jacket. Beware of flotation and swim aids that are not USCG approved. Also, avoid any life jackets with mold, tears, or broken parts because that can reduce the life jacket’s flotation capabilities.

Life jackets that turn someone face up in the water unassisted have a curved arrow icon on the label without the circle and slash mark through it. The buoyancy rating on those is more than level 70 (e.g. 100, 150, etc.) and on the old labels it says Type I or II. Children’s life jackets have user weight limits of “less than 30 lbs. (14 kg)” or “greater than 30-50 lbs (>14-23 kg).” Those broad categories can sometimes make it challenging to find the right fit in the styles that turn a child face up unassisted.

Drowning is silent and fast; it takes an average of 20-seconds for a child to drown. That’s why it’s critical to keep children within arm’s reach, even if they’re wearing a life jacket. Assign an adult to be a water watcher or water guardian to watch children when they’re in the water, even if they’re wearing a life jacket or they have some swim skills. The adult watching should change every 15-20 minutes so they can stay attentive. These methods should especially be required when lifeguards are not present, but it’s still important to watch your children even when lifeguards are present.

In conclusion, find a USCG-approved life jacket that properly fits your child and they will be more likely to wear it. Test the life jacket with your child wearing it in the water so they can learn how to float with it on. The best life jacket for your child is one that they will wear. Remember, just the fact that a child is wearing a life jacket doesn’t excuse the need for constant adult supervision when in, on, or near the water. Lastly, children learn by example. If you’re wearing a life jacket they will be more likely to want to wear one too. So please wear it for those who love you.

• Date Taken: 11.30.2022
• Date Posted: 11.30.2022 12:55
• Story ID: 434219
• Location: US