SWIMMING LESSONS FOR BABIES SAVES LIVES
A study published March 2 in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine concluded that swimming lessons for children ages 1 to 4 lowers the risk of drowning. This study flies in the face of people who believe teaching children to swim too early in life could decrease the child's fear of water and give parents a false sense of security, thus increaseing a toddler's risk of drowning. To the contrary, babies should be taught to swim to help protect against drowning.
The study looked at the assoication between drowning and swimming lessons in people ages 1 to 19 in six staes. Interviews were conducted with families of 88 children who drowned between 2003 and 2005 and with the families of 213 control children who were the same age and gender and lived in the same county as those who drowned. The study found that among the 61 children ages 1 to 4 who drowned, 3% had taken formal swimming lessons. In contrast, 26% of the children in the control group had taken swimming lessons.
Parent interviews also suggested that children who drowned were less skilled swimmers. Only 5% of those who drowned were able to float on their back for 10 seconds, compared with 18% of the children in the control group.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than one in for fatal drowning victims are children ages 14 and younger. Indeed, drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children age 1 to 14. And for every child who dies from drowning, another four receive emergency department care for non-fatal submersion injuries.
With summer approaching, and these statistics in mind, NOW is the time to get your child enrolled in swimming lessons. Please note, however, that the American Academy of Pediatrics does NOT recommend swimming classes as the primary means of drowning prevention for children younger than 4. Constant, careful supervision and barriers such as pool fencing are necessary even when children have completed swimming classes. Contact your local YMCA about swimming lessons offered in your community.
