Swim Safety Tips from Texas Swim Academy

Never underestimate the importance of year-round swim safety! Use these quick tips to keep your family safe:

While every parent is aware that swimming can be dangerous for children, many parents would be shocked to learn that drowning is actually the leading cause of death for children and young adults from the ages 5 to 24. Moreover, between the ages of 1 to 4, 26 percent of all child deaths are due to drowning. These are incredibly high numbers, but luckily this form of tragedy is preventable.

Creating Familiarity with Water

Children can start to learn how to swim almost immediately before birth. Not only does this teach them vital survival skills, it also ensures that they won’t panic if they unexpectedly slip under water. In many drowning deaths, children were only out of their parent’s gaze for a few minutes. Many children that are not acclimated to water could potentially panic when they encounter it for the first time. Water training and desensitization can resolve this problem entirely.

Not Just for Children

Many adults in Texas either cannot swim or are not strong swimmers. As mentioned, swimming remains a leading cause of death for individuals well into their twenties. Learning how to swim is an excellent way for an older teen or young adult to increase their safety in the water. It’s never too late to start protecting your safety. There are many adult classes available at Texas Swim Academy, and it can also be a great place to socialize.

Be Safe Now for Your Child’s Future

Until you do get your child the appropriate safety training, you should ensure that they are never allowed around water without being in contact with you or another adult. Even shallow water can be very dangerous. Simply supervising your child around water is not adequate protection, as many drowning incidents are reported to occur when both parents were present. It can take less than a minute for a child  to drown.