Wild arm movements and screams for help: Parents often assume a child would drown loudly and visibly. But in reality, children tend to drown silently, first responders say.

They may have fallen face-first into the water in a way that they can’t free themselves.

Or they may have reached a place where they cannot stand anymore.

For this reason, first aid specialists say all parents should know these three ways to make a child less likely to drown.

1. Never, ever leave a child unsupervised

A child playing peacefully by the water – surely, it’s fine to quickly check your messages on your phone? “We very often see parents getting distracted, briefly looking at their phones,” said Andreas Paatz, head of the water rescue service at the German Red Cross.

“But it is precisely these few seconds that are often enough for a child to get into a dangerous situation.”

For example, if a child stumbles while playing and falls into the water. Even water just a few centimetres deep at the edge of a lake can then become life-threatening.

“Children can also drown in a small garden pond or a pool with 20cm of water if they fall face-first into the water,” said life saving specialist Alexander Paffrath.

The key thing is to keep an eye on the child.

If several adults are sitting on a picnic blanket by the lake, it’s a good idea to agree on who’s currently responsible for supervision, Paatz says.

Otherwise parents can get into the situation where everyone assumes someone else is watching the children.

2. Don’t rely on inflatable swimming aids

Swimming rings, water rings or inflatable animals are popular with children – and many parents too. However, they create a false sense of security.

“Armbands won’t guarantee that my child always keeps their head above water,” says Paatz.

Swimming aids can at best help if parents – together in the water – do not want to support the child the entire time.

However, they do not absolve parents of their duty to supervise when the child is playing at the water’s edge or splashing in the water.

3. Get the child swimming lessons

A child that can swim is of course much less likely to drown.

“Make sure your children can swim well and safely,” said Paatz

Experts recommend starting swimming lessons at the age of five, during preschool years.

Again, parents will still need to watch out for accidents, even if the child can stay above water on their own. – dpa