Can the color of a child’s swimsuit help prevent drowning?
The question stems from a recent internet meme and other recommendations for water safety from a Lehigh Valley Swim instructor.
Michelle Bussiere is the aquatics director at the Jewish Community Center in Allentown. She’s a certified ISR instructor, which stands for Infant Swimming Resources, a program that teaches water survival skills to children.
According to Bussiere, parents should dress kids in swimsuit colors that stand out in the water.
“Bright colors like hot pink, neon, orange, bright greens are OK, like a neon green, reds, yellows, those really bright colors, because you really want to be able to spot a child very quickly in the water and this is what’s going to catch your eye quickest,” Bussiere said.
Earth tones like blues, greens, and grays disappear when they are submerged, she said.
Most importantly, supervision is the first layer of protection for children around water, she said, and having an adult in the water with the child is the first thing she teaches parents.
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