When summer comes around and pools begin to open, many parents hit the stores to grab new swimsuits for their kids. Every year, new trends emerge and parents hope to get some great deals that are both stylish and practical.
While there are many swimsuit colors for children, many people are warning parents against getting one specific color palette for young kids in the pool.
Both swim instructors and various organizations that specialize in water safety are urging parents to pay close attention to the colors they choose for swimwear. It could save a life.
One mom shared why on her TikTok page
Nikki Scarnati, a mom of two and someone specializing in swim instruction, shared that wearing blue swimsuits in the water can be hazardous and should be avoided at all costs. She provided an example by allowing her daughter to swim in a blue swimsuit in their pool to see just why the blue swimsuit could pose a danger to children.
In the video, her daughter is playing in the pool, as any child does
When she is standing with her head above water, it’s fine and easy to see the child — despite the blue swimsuit. However, once her daughter goes underwater, the blue swimsuit blends in with its environment, as most pools are blue or green.
Therefore, wearing a blue swimsuit can make it hard to point out or see your child swimming.
This can be dangerous in the long run
Once a child is underwater, swimming, one cannot know if they are OK or if they are having some sort of crisis. For example, if a child is drowning, it can be hard to spot them if they are blending in with the water around them.
It can also cause parents not even to realize if their child is drowning in the first place because the children don’t stand out as much in a blue suit as they would in a brighter color that doesn’t blend in with the water surrounding them.
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The mom shares that neon colors are the way to go
Instead of getting blue or green swimsuits, bright neon colors are what parents should look for. These can stand out and allow parents and even lifeguards to keep an eye on children when they are swimming in the pool.
Anything too dark can also be troublesome because it can be mistaken for dirt or something in the pool, rather than a child swimming.
Organizations have even conducted swimsuit tests to prove this
In order to showcase that the swimsuit color really does make a difference, company ALIVE Solutions Inc. posted photos of their swimsuit tests in both the pool and in a lake. The watercolor differs between these two places, making the bathing suit colors differ for safety measures. In a pool, dark and blue colors tend to blend and be muggy for people to see.
In the lake, most colors stand out better
Looking at the lake image, bright colors stand out more, but as someone swims deeper, it is much harder to make out. Neon colors are the best option both in the pool and in the lake because it’s not only about swimming on the surface but also seeing children swimming deeper below.
Not only does this prevent drowning, but it also allows you to keep track of your children.
Experts say it doesn’t stop at children
While most lifeguards and swim experts are more concerned with children, it shouldn’t only be kids who wear bright-colored bathing suits. Many adults can have swim emergencies, especially in places where the waters are rough, like the beach.
It is easier for lifeguards and other emergency personnel to see individuals in bright colors rather than those that blend in.
Next time parents are shopping for swimsuits, go for safety over style
Instead of looking for swimsuits that are fashionable and cute, parents should instead search for swimsuits that would be the safest option for their kids. Neon colors, bright colors, and those that can stand out and cover enough skin for safety personnel and lifeguards to keep an eye on.
Also, all parents should be mindful of their children and where they are swimming in any body of water, at any time.
