Do Swim Lessons Prevent Drowning?

Parents considering swim lessons often ask the question, “Do swim lessons actually prevent drowning?” Let me start by highlighting the following story:

Kids Drowning Prevention: Jaden’s Experience

Jaden was a five year old swim student a few weeks into swim lessons. At a family party one evening, he noticed a beach ball floating in the nearby pool. The gate was unlocked and no one was around. Jaden approached the pool, reached for the ball, and fell into the water.

Luckily, Jaden’s time in swim lessons prepared him for what to do. He immediately flipped onto his back into a back float. Then he began kicking, swimming his way to the edge. It wasn’t pretty; it didn’t much look like the swimming you see in the Olympics or at a swim meet. Jaden wasn’t using his arms, he wasn’t doing side breaths, but he was swimming and able to breathe.

After a few moments, Jaden bumped into the wall and was able to pull himself out of the pool.

Swim Lessons Save Lives

Unfortunately, too many similar stories have tragically different endings. Drowning is a leading cause of death among children. It is a substantial risk. But it is important to know that swim lessons can significantly reduce the risk and increase the chances of preventing a drowning accident. In fact, a 2014 study showed that swim lessons result in an 88% risk reduction in drowning deaths among children.

Think of Jaden; if his parents had waited just one more month to enroll him in swim lessons, he would not have been equipped to prevent his own drowning. Having a few weeks under his belt made all the difference.

The simple fact is that swim lessons save lives by decreasing the risk of drowning. Jaden’s story highlights how having some basic fundamental skills can mean the difference between life and death. Such swim skills aren’t particularly complicated or difficult, but a child must learn them in order to use them. And the best place for kids to develop those skills and reflexes is in private swim lessons.

No One is 100% Drown Proof

Now before I say more, please understand this: Kids (or adults for that matter) are never “drown proof.”No one is ever 100% water safe. Nothing will guarantee that a child will never face a risk of drowning, not even private swim lessons. But the reason swim lessons are worth it is because they substantially mitigate the risk or the chance that a child will drown.

How Swim Lessons Prevent Drowning

The overarching goal of swim lessons is to help an individual be comfortable and confident in and around water. During swim lessons, a child will learn the skills that saved Jaden’s life and more. This will include floating on tummies and backs, how to kick, how to use arms, etc., but a child will also learn how to find a pool’s edge, how to grab the pool wall, how to use a ladder or pool stairs to get out. By practicing them over and over and over again, swim lessons help these skills become natural, even reflexive, so that if a child accidentally finds herself unaccompanied in a swimming pool, a lake, a hot tub, etc., chances are high she’ll be able to help herself.

Water Safety for Kids

The reality is that your kid is extremely likely to find himself in or around water. This might be at a pool party, the beach, a water park, lake trip, boat ride, etc. And any parent knows how difficult it is to keep eyes on kids 100% of the time. Drowning incidents can occur in mere seconds. Accordingly, the best way to protect kids and decrease the chance of drowning is to give them the skills and abilities to take care of themselves. Private swim lessons are the way to do it. It’s never too early to start and is something you should prioritize for your kids. While nothing will make a kid 100% drown proof, swim lessons certainly decrease the risk of child drowning.

So if you think it’s time to sign your child up for swim lessons, private swim instruction from the convenience of your own pool is a great way to go. Contact your local Sunsational Instructor and get your child swimming today!