Speedo Life Suit is a Drowning Hazard

~BE CAUTIOUS WHEN USING THIS TYPE OF PRODUCT~
This is the message I intended to all.

I wrote this letter to hopefully get the word out to other
moms/dads/grandparents/babysitters/aunts/uncles/friends to be very
cautious and DO NOT 'assume' such as I did that this device would keep
your child safe in/around water. "False sense of security" is the
perfect phrase for what I felt. I take absolutely 100% responsibility
of what happened that day and can assure you as well as my daughter
that I will never allow that to happen again. I have gone through my
own emotional torment over this and wish I could have been more
careful at that moment, but all I can do now is take this as a
learning experience, pass the word, and thank God I can still tuck my
daughter in at night.

The fact that she was face down and trying to turn herself over and
could not because the suit wouldn't allow her to is my concern about
this product. This life suit, life-preserver, whatever you want to
call it, (it was not a pair of floaties) was the appropriate size for
her. It was intended for children up to 33 lbs- my daughter is 30lbs!
There wasn't any adjusting to it. I couldn't take anything out or add
more into it. It was all one piece sewn together. I don't know whether
the suit is designed to automatically make the child's face go up,
that's why I am asking Speedo to reevaluate it to possibly make it do
so- because it didn't with my child. All I know is it did help her
stay afloat but what good is that if she can't get her face out of the
water?

Never Ever rely on any type of device to save your children. Being
complacent and assured around water is the main reason we lose young
lives. My children were in "swimming classes" at 9 months old. If
nothing else I introduced the Don't Panic rule. Both have gone on to
be able to swim, but more importantly comfortable in the water.
Lessons available through the Red Cross. Thank the Good Lord all is
well.

I had these for my kids - didn't really like them though. If I
remember correctly, their purpose is to just assist the child in
staying afloat - a product to help them master swimming, not to save
them if they don't know how to swim. They call them a teaching
tool.

Your warning to other parents is a good one though. I can see where
someone could easily get a false sense of security if they didn't
really know much about this product.

Thank goodness your daughter is ok.

While I am glad you are concerned about your child's safety and
warning people about a potential product's hazzard, I do have to
comment on this.

The blow up floaties that go on a child's arms when they are in a pool
are not an approved floatation device as these can be easily popped.
The only approved floatation device is a life vest that goes over a
child's head and buckles around the waist.

It is up to the parents to make sure their kids are safe when in the
water. If your child does not know how to swim do not assume
"floaties" will be enough protection for you child. It is up to you to
make sure they are safe. If your child can not swim it is better to
have them wear a life vest than the arm "floaties".

I am pretty sure Speedo does not market this suit as a substitute for
a life vest.

I owned one of these suits for my daughter many years ago and if I
remember right the floating "inserts" could be added or taken out to
adjust for the childs swimming ability. It sounds to me that the
previous child that wore it may have been more of an accomplished
swimmer and it was adjusted as such. I am happy she is okay, chaulk
it up as a learning experience and move on.

As a nonparent who babysits, I find that *I* am more protective of
other people's kids than they are! I have to assume that a lot of
this comes from familiarity. I, on the other hand, won't go into
someone's basement to do laundry (did I mention that I become a
household maid when I babysit?) :) without taking the young ones
(like, up to age 3) down there with me. If I have to use the
bathroom, I shut the toddlers in the bathroom with me. I really do
think things like, "She could fall down the stairs in the time it
takes me to pee!" or "He could get out the front door while I'm doing
laundry for 10 minutes!"

If something happened to someone else's child on MY watch, I'd be
tormented forever, so I behave in a way that makes bad possibilities
next to impossible.

So while you seem to be more cautious than the typical parent, I agree
with your way of thinking completely! It just makes me very nervous
when parents go to a pool or lake and then they don't watch their
little kids like a hawk. And honestly, that is most parents. I mean,
seriously, who puts a four-year-old into a lake or ocean and then lies
down to suntan?

And I know you can't watch them every single minute. But you can try.

.

Red, then why on another forum do you claim to have either five or six
kids?

This has been bothering me so I went on the Speedo web site and cannot
find anything about a "Speedo Life Suit" but there was something
called a "Bubble Float Suit" and is available in childrens sizes 2-3
and up to 5-6.
Its almost like a scub one piece suit and has floatation devices in it
to keep the child afloat. However it does go by size.

Also my niece was very tiny, thin for her age and had a hard time
finding flotation deviceed to fit her when they took her out on their
boat. She was so lightweight that when they put a vest on her, she
would fall over because of the weight...maybe this is what happened
with your child...not sure but I do not think its Speedo's fault
really. I just think it was a suit that did not fit her right.

I have to ask - was this suit for your age child? Also, is this
device designed to be automatically make the child go face up? I
doubt it. It sounds like something that should be used with adult
supervision, so you should always be near your child in case anything
like this occurs.

I'm so thankful this incident ended positively and no harm came to
your child.

ps I would always treat something new like this carefully until your
child is comfortable on her own in the water. In other words, if she
goes in the water, go in with her and see how it acts before leaving
her to her own actions.

Let me say first that I am sorry to hear that your daughter had this
experience. That being said...

I never would have purchased my son one of these, but his grandmother
did when she was without a suit for him. I tend to use this suit
every time we are at the lake now, just in case he happens to hit a
drop off or go out a little too far. Often times I'm watching from
the beach instead of in the lake, so the suit would buy me a bit of
time and keep him afloat so that I knew exactly where he was. I can
understand how this suit might make it difficult for a child to flip
over if they happen to hit the water chest first. HOWEVER, I'm sure
that most likely, the label does not in any way market this item as a
life saving devise. Adult supervision is the only way to make sure
children are safe around water. I kind of equate all of these
floatation devices with baby walkers...many accidents may occur each
year, but it's usually because an adult has a false sense of security
when using them.

I looked at thoes for my son. Because you (I think) didn't have one
with the packaging still on it, you did not know that thoes are for
kids that know a bit about how to swim. I think the are a 'Stage 3'
which is says, something about being used only on kids that have had
some swiming but still need a little help. It does NOT say anywhere
(That I saw) on the packaging that it is a life saving device. It
does say "use only with adult supervision" (did I spell that right?)
Sounds like you where there and that's good. Just because it "looked
safe" and said "Life suit" does not mean it is a "Life SAVING" device.

I agree with Red...the size of the suit must fit the size of the child
for it to work correctly Sounds like it was too heavy for your child
and made it difficult for her to manuever in it.
Otherwise these would have been pulled off the market as being unsafe
for what they were inteneded...as a life preserver type suit.

I imagine you will get the same reply from the company. That the suit
must fit the child.

That sounds awful! Thank goodness you were right there. My only
question/comment would be are you sure the suit was meant to fit a
child of your daughter's size? I would think that fit is a crucial
element.

Other than that, it sounds like a well-intentioned product that needs
to be investigated further.

How scary that must have been for you! I'm very glad your daughter is
okay.