September is Baby Safety Month

September is recognized as Baby Safety Month, and it’s the perfect time to take note of how important survival swimming skills are to your child. While drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children aged 1 to 4, it is preventable. Parents spend so much time researching everything for their young children, from the right car seat and engaging infant toys to the best food choices, but do you put the same emphasis on water safety? 

Texas is home to more than 500,000 residential pools. Cities throughout the state often rate as some of the highest populated homes with pools. While they are gorgeous and a great addition to any home, the fact is they are the most dangerous part of a house. Drowning happens within seconds, and contrary to what you see in the movies, it is silent. So while many may think they’ll hear a child screaming for help, that’s not the case. 

There are many layers of protection that need to be put into place in order to protect children from drowning. Familiarizing yourself with those layers and implementing them into practice are the best ways to keep children safe when in and around water. 

It’s important to note that most drownings occur during non-swim times. So what does that mean? Again, there’s a perceived notion that drownings happen only when a child is swimming with family and friends when in reality, young children are curious. It’s their natural intuition to discover the world around them. So they’ll find a way to slip past the adults and gain access to the pool, whether it’s out an unlocked exterior door of the house or through a pool door that doesn’t have an alarm. 

The Layers of Protection

There are six layers of protection that are designed to keep kids safe, provide less access to unattended bodies of water and give kids the skills necessary to get them safely to the edge to wait for help. One of the most important rules is if a child is missing, check the pool first! 

1. Stay Close: Never leave a child alone near water, not even for a second. 

2. Adult Supervision: Designate at least one adult “Water Watcher” at all times. If you’re with a group, take turns so everyone can enjoy some fun time. 

3. Survival Swim Lessons: Teach kids survival swimming skills from a reputable swim school. This includes an independent swim and roll to back to float. 

4. Barriers: All swimming pools should be outfitted with fences, alarms, and drains that meet proper regulations.  

5. Safety Equipment: Keep reaching and throwing aids easily accessible at the pool. 

6. CPR: All parents and caregivers should know how to perform rescue techniques and strategies if there’s an emergency.  

The Invaluable Nature of Survival Swimming Lessons

There is no substitute for survival swimming lessons. The layers of protection are designed as added safety, but ultimately, empowering a child with the skills to get them safely to the surface of the water and to the side of the pool is invaluable. Children as young as 6 months old can be taught survival swimming skills. 

While that may seem impossible to some, think of how an infant grows and develops each day…from laying on their backs to rolling over to sitting up and then crawling and walking. A baby’s brain is constantly developing and learning new skills to adapt to their environment. Swimming skills are no different. 

Even if you don’t own a pool, chances are your child will be around water whether at a family member’s or friend’s house, or even a community pool. The opportunities for drowning are in abundance. And even the most vigilant and careful parent can experience this great tragedy. By investing in your child’s safety and health, and enrolling in survival swimming lessons, you’re giving them skills they’ll take with them throughout their entire life and empower them to be aware of their surroundings. 

Your Katy Survival Swim Experts

When you’re investing in your child’s safety, don’t overlook survival swimming lessons. Texas Swim Academy remains committed to providing children of all ages with the skills necessary to survive and thrive in the water. Give us a call to learn more about our survival swimming program and how we can help your child become proficient in the water.

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog, you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!