Swimming teacher has terrifying warning against putting towel around kids' shoulders
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
The summer holidays might be just around the corner, but parents planning on taking their children abroad this year have been issued a stern warning from a swimming instructor.
More specifically, the guidance informs mums and dads across the globe what not to do if their child clambers out of the pool soaking wet.
It's fair to say, in most cases, if a youngster runs towards you after taking a dip - teeth chattering, hair dripping, goosebumps rising - the first thing you'd want to do is throw a towel onto them, wrapping it tightly around their shoulders.
After all, even in warmer climates, you don't want your little one catching a cold, right?
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But a swimming instructor has since issued some vital warning against such a response, and naturally, it has divided parents around the world.
Taking to TikTok last year, certified ISR swim instructor and water safety advocate Nikki Scarnati shared her knowledge in a bid to educate parents about a largely unknown, yet potentially fatal, risk of swaddling a child that's been swimming.
Demonstrating wrapping a child up in the way we just mentioned, she explained: "I see it happen so many times, and I myself, as a parent, did it without even realising it was a thing."
Scarnati added, however, that placing the towel over the child's arms can be restrictive, however.
"If they were to fall in the pool this way, all of their limbs are going to be restricted under a wet towel," she explained, adding that it's best practice to dry your child off in a different, safer way.
"Instead, you should dry their arms off, then get your child to lift up their arms and wrap the towel around them - like you would yourself after getting out of the shower," Scarnati added, doing a demo on a youngster.
"That way, if they end up in the water, they still have access to their limbs to self-rescue and they're that much safer."
As we say, the advice definitely sparked a debate at the time - though, the majority of parents seemed thankful for the advice.
"I can confirm this is true," one wrote in the comments of the swimming teacher's viral video.
"When I was two I fell into the deep end of a rec pool with my towel on around my arms and I had to be rescued."
Another social media user pointed out: "Also if they trip, they can catch themselves before hitting the ground."
A third wrote: "That's a great idea! I bought my son an oversized towel hoodie so his arms stay covered but he's got mobility."
"Good tip thank u," a fourth commented.