As more kids go into the water to stay cool this summer, a pediatrician recently went viral on with a warning about pool toys and flotation devices that increase the risk of drowning in small children. In a TikTok that has garnered 1.7 million views, , a board-certified pediatrician and mother of three kids under 6, reminded her followers that “drowning is 100% preventable.
" (She did not immediately respond to TODAY.com's interview request.) Drowning is the leading cause of death in kids 1 to 4 years old, .
“Unsafe swimming aids ...
can provide a false sense of security and may not keep a child’s head above water,” explains Bernard Fisher, director of health and safety at the American Lifeguard Association. “These devices are not substitutes for lifejackets and should be avoided.” We asked doctors with young children what pool toys they avoid to keep their kids safe.
, also known as swimmies or arm floaties, are inflatable bands that wrap around a child's upper arms. They are unsafe for several reasons, the experts say. “Arm floaties easily slip off or deflate," neonatologist at Pediatrix Medical Group and mom of three in Florida, where her kids are around water a lot, tells TODAY.
com. "If (the floaties) slip down the arm, the child can be stuck with their arms out of the water and face under,” Ferry explains. Water wings also encourage children to stay in an upright position in the water, which does not teach them how to swim properly and can increase drownin.