Swimming lessons and when to start — everything for parents

Swimming lessons: when to start and what parents should know

Learning to swimshould be a priority for every family. This is an important life skill,which can play a key role in the prevention of drowning - leadingcause of death among children.

Children and their parentsneed to learn to swim to be weather in the water safe andFun!

Here are some tips and how tostart swimming lessons, what to look for in a quality program.

When does my child need to learn how to swim?

Children develop withdifferent speed and not all are ready to start swimming lessons exactly on one the same age.When making a decision, for this, you must complythe emotional maturity of the child, physical abilities and limitations,the level of comfort in the water.

Some studies conductedshow that training in water survival skills and swimming lessonscan help reduce the risk of drowning for children between the ages of 1-4years.Classes, which include both parents and their children are also goodway to introduce good safety habits in the water and startbuilding skills for readiness for swimming. If your child looks ready, is a good idea to start now.

Swimming lessons for children 4 years and older: mandatory for most families

Until his 4th birthdaymost children are ready for swimming lessons. At this age, they can usually learn basic skills of survival in the water, such as sailing, steps in water and reaching a starting point. By the age of 5 or 6, most childrencan master the crawl. If your child has not already started aSwimming, now's the time!

Swimming babies — is it possible?

No, because at present there is no evidence that the programs for swimming babies for under 1 yearreduce the risk of drowning.Children at this age may show reflex “swimming” movements, but still can not raise their heads fromwater well enough to breathe.It is good to enroll in the game class onparent-child to help your baby get used to the pool. This could beprove a fun activity to enjoy together.

Always remember thatswimming lessons are just one of several important levels of protection needed for the prevention of drowning.The other moment, involves a constant, purposefulsupervision when your child is in or near a pool or in water. It is alsoimportant to block access to the pools during swimming.

What to look for in the choice of swimming lessons?

Look for proven childreninstructors who follow guidelines. They should be focused not only onswimming techniques, but also wider skills for survival competence.All children need to learn how to return to the surface of the water and makecome out of the water.

Swimming programs for children of all ages:

Swimming instructorsmust be well trained and certified.

Teaching goodsafety habits in, in and near the water is of utmost importance forfuture survival.Children must learn never to swimalone or without adult supervision.Instructors need to studychildren always ask permission from parents, rescuers or instructors forswimming before entering the pool or natural water bodies such as a lake.

Require, at least a few sessions

After the children starttutorials, you should be able to see track their gradual development andprogress. Do not stop the lessons at least until they have mastered the basic skills ofcompetence in the water.

For children under 4 years old, look for programs that:

Provide suitable forage atmosphere — Your child should feel safe duringlessons.It must be supported by activities of social, intellectual,physical and emotional development.Children need to have their healthyrespect for water.

Turn on the mechanism “monitoring with a touch”.Every time babies and cubs are in or around the water - even during swimming lessons - the adult should be at arm's length,to provide “touch monitoring”.Parents' participationshould be encouraged, especially because it helps families to know what topractice.

Keep the water clean- young children are more likely to swallow or breathe in water, sodisinfection of water and maintaining proper chlorine levels is reallyimportant.A good program should also require the child to wear a swimsuit,which is tightly adhered to the feet to avoid the spread ofwaste in the water.

Keep the water warm - Hypothermia is a greater risk at this age. Ideally, swimming and water safety classes for children aged 3 and younger should be in water heated to 30.5 to 34.4 degrees Celsius.

How To Control Your Child In or Near Water:

Proper observation inwater - even if your child is learning to swim, observation is one of the most importantways to prevent drowning.Drowning is fast, quiet and it happens very more often than most families realize.

To controlEffectively and to keep your child safe while swimming, keep in mind:

Take care andpurposeful attention.Do not be distracted with other activities.

For younger children andweak swimmers it is important that the parent is with them in the water, even at a distance.

Do not leave a baby ortoddler in or near a body of water under the care of another child.

Especially duringparties or picnics on the pool or pond, when it is easy to distract,define a “water observer”, whose job is to constantly keep small children under an eye.

Do not forget thatthe main risk of drowning for young children is at the age of 1 to 4 years.He isunexpected, unattended and access to water.Children are naturally curious and often slip unnoticed during activities other than swimming.

Always uselife jackets when you are in, on or near natural waterobjects, such as lakes or rivers.Make sure they fit properly.

Remember: Water safety is a family business!

Tip:

Talk to the childrenpediatrician if you have questions about whether your child is ready for development inswimming lessons and how to find a quality program for your family.