Children love to play in water whether it is in the pool, river, or ocean. This can be very dangerous for children who do not know how to swim. More children between the ages of 1 to 4 years old die from downing than any other cause other than birth defects. It only takes 20-60 seconds for a child who doesn’t know how to swim to slip or jump into a pool which can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) every year in the United States there are an estimated 3,960 fatal unintentional drownings, including boating-related drownings, that is an average of 11 drowning deaths a day.
The time to learn to swim is as early as possible. Parents can take swim classes with babies and toddlers. At the age of six months a baby can learn to float and progress to rolling over to float face up. From the ages of 1 to 6 years old children can take swimming lessons and learn water safety.
My father insisted on swimming lessons at an early age. By the time I was 2 ½ I could swim across the pool unassisted. Every summer I took swimming lessons to improve my skill. In the junior lifesavers class, I learned how to save a drowning swimmer and how to give Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). When I was 12 years old, my 2-year-old brother stopped breathing in the middle of the night. I was able to instruct my dad on how to do CPR which saved his life.
I encourage everyone to learn how to swim and become proficient in CPR. These two skills can save your life and the life of someone else. For those who already know how to swim take a lifesaving and water safety class so you will be ready to assist in case of an emergency.
Love and best wishes,
Tracy