We just returned from Spring Break last night, and while we didn’t visit a tropical place (Smoky Mountains), the kids still enjoyed their time in the hot tub. I had no fears of them (with the exception of Adam) being in the hot tub with the older kids we were with because they have learned to swim at Goldfish Swim School.

March and April are popular months for families to travel and The American Academy of Pediatrics announced its updated recommendations to prevent drowning in children.

I’m so happy that Goldfish teaches water safety tips at every class level, and they offer free water safety presentations for schools, daycares and community groups. In case you aren’t familiar, here are some super helpful tips from Lisa Armitage, owner of Goldfish Swim Schools in Columbus, Ohio:

      W– Wear Your Life Jacket: This is one of the easiest ways to increase safety in the water. There are plenty of different types of life jackets to fit all sizes – pay attention to proper fit.

·      A– Act. Throw! Don’t go:Do your kids know what to do in a swimming emergency? They should ACT! Their first instinct may be to go towards the person having trouble in the water. Instead, they should throw a life preserver – and don’t go! That way, they aren’t putting themselves in jeopardy as well and are truly able to help.

·      T– Take Swim Lessons: You can start your child in swim lessons as early as four months old where they can begin learning swim and safety skills while building character through guided play.

·      E– Educate. Learn Swim Safety Skills: Key water safety skills can go a long way – such as the crab walk, properly getting in and out of the pool, going under water, rolling on their back, treading water, learning different strokes.

·      R– Respect. Play it Cool and Follow the Rules: Rules are there for a reason, especially when it comes to rules for the pool. Walk, don’t run; make sure an adult is watching; no horseplay. Review rules together as a family before setting your kids loose to enjoy the water. 

Did you know, drowning can be silent and quick, and it kills nearly 1,000 children every year?! To refocus the attention of parents and physicians on one of the leading causes of death among children, the American Academy of Pediatrics is publishing updated recommendations on water safety.

“Drowning is the single leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4,” said Sarah Denny, MD, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement, “Prevention of Drowning. Many of these deaths occur when children are not expected to be swimming or when they have unanticipated access to water. Toddlers are naturally curious; that’s why we must implement other strategies, such as pool fencing and door locks.”

The second age group at highest risk of drowning deaths is teens, said Dr. Denny. Every year, about 370 children ages 10 to 19 drown. “Adolescents can be overconfident in their swimming abilities, and are more likely to combine alcohol use with swimming – compounding their risk significantly. Children of color, especially African American teens are especially at risk.”

In the policy statement, the AAP lays out strategies to protect children at each stage of their life. New parents are advised to be vigilant at bath time and to empty all buckets and wading pools immediately.

All children should learn to swim, and children and teens should wear life jackets while near open bodies of water. Teens can learn CPR and other water safety skills.

Injury prevention has long been a priority of pediatricians, and public health initiatives over the past 50 years have led to dramatic reductions in deaths from injuries related to motor vehicle crashes, sudden infant death syndrome, drowning, and other unintentional injuries. In the past few years, however, the rate of decline in these deaths has slowed.
Drowning remains the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5-19 years. In 2017, nearly 1,000 children died from drowning and 8,700 visited a hospital emergency room because of a drowning event – with toddlers and teens at the highest risk.

If you’re interested in learning more or enrolling your child at Goldfish Swim School click HERE.

*this post is sponsored by Goldfish Swim School, all opinions are my own.*