Drowning is the number one cause of death in children ages 1-4 years old.
And it’s completely preventable.
According to SafeKids Worldwide, nearly 800 children die every year by accidental drowning—more than half of which are under the age of 5.
New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children should learn to swim at the age of 1.
“Research has found that swim lessons are beneficial for children starting around age 1, and may lower drowning rates”, said Dr. Linda Quan, a co-author of the policy statement.
“Learning to swim is a great family activity,” she says. “Families can talk with their pediatrician about whether their child is developmentally ready for swim lessons, and then look for a program that has experienced, well-trained instructors. Ideally, programs should teach ‘water competency’ too — the ability to get out of the water if your child ends up in the water unexpectedly.”
Of course, even the best swim lessons cannot “drown-proof” a child. The AAP recommends parents take steps to make a child’s environment safer — especially around any sort of water, from swimming pools to bathtubs, as a toddler can drown in less than a minute.
Meyer says that putting both of her sons in swimming lessons at a very young age has given her a “peace of mind” that her children are safer around water.
