Shopping for Children’s Swimsuits? Keep Color in Mind.

Summer always brings a multitude of articles on water safety, many of them directed at parents or guardians of young children. It’s important information and deserves our attention, but much of the guidance is expected. This season, however, there are critical new insights being shared.

A company called Alive Solutions has conducted research on the impact that a child’s swimsuit color can have on his or her safety in the water. The company specializes in aquatic safety, training and risk assessment and its warnings regarding swimsuit colors are eye-opening.

Alive Solutions tested 14 swimsuits in a variety of colors in both a pool and a lake. The swimsuits were tested on the surface of the water and also at a depth of about 18 inches. The company also tested the visibility of the swimsuits in specific situations designed to replicate how a lifeguard or care provider might view them in real life: viewed from the shore of a lake, for instance, and viewed from a dock or boat.

The results were concerning, to say the least.

Most swimsuit colors essentially disappear at a mere 18 inches below the surface of the water. If the water is agitated to any extent, as it frequently is, the visibility is worse.

Swimsuits in shades of blue and green were the most difficult to see. In natural bodies of water, bright or neon colors were most readily visible, specifically orange, yellow and lime green. White was not recommended as it can look like clouds reflected on the water. And, while dark colors might show up well against the light-colored bottom of a pool, in some situations a dark swimsuit can also be mistaken for dirt, leaves or a shadow, rather than a child in need of help.

Oddly enough, although bright neon colors were the best choices in general, there were surprises. For example, neon pink was highly visible in the pool setting but not in the lake. It’s a good idea, then, to take into consideration the type of water your child will be in and choose a suit to match.

Mixing and matching two-piece suits in contrasting colors – yellow and neon orange, for example – could be an ideal approach. Or choose a single suit that features significant blocks of contrasting colors.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with keeping young children or non-swimmers in lifejackets, too.

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1-4 years and ranks in the top five causes of unintentional injury-related death for children from birth to 5 years of age. It would be a good idea to keep these sobering facts in mind when you’re choosing your child’s next swimsuit.

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