As temperatures begin to soar, school comes to an end and the workday is over, we all have one thing on our minds: Let’s get in the water! Whether it’s hanging out in the pool, the lake, the ocean or even heading out on a motorboat, we all love cooling off by spending time in and around the water.

The unfortunate fact is that drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children between the ages of 1 and 4, and it is the third leading cause of accidental death for those between 5 and 19. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, close to 1,000 children died from drowning in 2017, and nearly 9,000 hospital emergency room visits were due to a water-related injury.

American olympic skier Bode Miller and his family became a part of those statistics last year when their daughter died due to accidental drowning. On June 10, 2018 during their time at a friend’s house, 19 month old Emmy slipped away from a room filled with adults and other children. The next time he was seen was moments later in the deep end of a pool.

Unfortunately, this was not the first time the Miller family had suffered a loss due to drowning. Bode Miller’s first cousin, Jeffrey, had also wandered from the front steps of his home as a child and was found in a large hole filled with rain water.

Nicole Hughes also suffered an unimaginable loss on the same day as the Miller family, when after splitting a brownie with her 3-year-old son, Levi, he managed to quietly leave a room filled with adults and children. Shortly thereafter he was found face down in a pool.

Through her tragedy, the Hughes family was able to raise awareness regarding the importance of survival swim lessons being taught at a young age and were instrumental in the American Academy of Pediatrics recently changing their recommendations regarding the age in which children should start swimming lessons. 

Layers of Protection Needed to Prevent Drowning

Pool fencing, self-locking gates and alarms are not a luxury – they are a necessity for everyone, whether or not there is a child in the home. Spa and hot tub covers with locks, emptied wading pools and emptied bath tubs are also needed to protect the youngest and most vulnerable among us from suffering an untimely death.

The Hughes family decided to turn their tragedy into a positive drowning awareness campaign and have added a layer of protection of their own. They have created a “Water Guardians: Levi’s Legacy” tag and lanyard which reminds everyone who is in charge of supervising those who are in and around the water.

Survival Swim Lessons Save Lives

Another critical layer of protection for youngsters are swim lessons. But not just any kind of swimming lessons. 

Earlier this year, through the dedication and perseverance of families like the Millers and Hughes’s, the AAP updated its swim guidelines to now state that swim lessons are recommended for children starting at or around the age of 1. Research has indicated that starting swim lessons when children are this young may help reduce drowning rates for toddlers and preschoolers.

Survival swim lessons are not like traditional swim lessons, which typically focus on strokes and swim skills. Instead, youngsters are gradually introduced to the water by a trained and certified instructor and are then taught three lifesaving skills: surface, roll back to float position and breath, and then swim to the wall. These important skills teach the child to remain calm as they wait for someone to retrieve them from the water.

The survival swim lessons at Texas Swim Academy are done with the utmost care and concern. Our accomplished swim instructors work with children to create positive associations with the water, and we guide them through the steps necessary to teach toddlers and preschoolers how to roll from their tummies to their backs so that they can float and remain safe until found.

For more information about our Houston survival swim program, we invite you to read more about our program or give us a call at (832) 437-6186.

 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is the best swim school near me offering result-oriented swimming lessons in Katy that cater to all ages and abilities. Our well-trained and experienced swimming instructors provide a variety of programs for infants through adulthood. For the little ones, we offer swimming lessons for babies and swimming lessons for toddlers focused on survival swimming skills to build a strong water safety foundation and foster water confidence at a young age. Once your child knows how to swim, our swim lessons for children will help refine techniques and build endurance, as the consistent practice of their swimming skills is an imperative part of becoming a strong swimmer. 

Our adaptive aquatics program is designed for children of all ages and abilities to ensure every child, including children on the autism spectrum, can benefit from these fundamental skills and enjoy the water in a safe and comfortable environment. Adults seeking to improve their swimming prowess or learn how to swim for the first time can enroll in adult swim lessons tailored to their specific goals.

Our swim lessons near me are a convenient and accessible way for you and your family to learn how to swim in a comfortable environment. Our dedicated instructors are passionate about teaching and ensuring your progress in the water. Take a few minutes to view Our Swimmer Stories to learn more about what other families are saying about their experience with Texas Swim Academy. 

Contact us to learn more about our programs or stop by our state-of-the-art swimming facility in Katy to register today. Be sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages for important news, updates, and swimming safety tips, and read our blog to keep up-to-date with important information on water safety and proper swimming lessons.