Swimming and Water Safety for Infants, Toddlers, and Pre-School Age Children

With summer here by star calendar and school calendar, staying cool is on everyone's mind and swimming tends to top that list! Swimming is an interesting topic because it involves not just staying afloat but staying safe, and that takes some wherewithal. Where kids are concerned, age and development play a huge role in helping them learn to swim effectively and stay safe in the water.

What most parents don't understand well, however, is kids can look like they can swim ok but still not really get the concepts. Before you get lulled into a false sense of security, here's the latest thinking on swim safety and water safety so you can keep your kids safe in the water and help them learn to swim when they are truly ready.

Water Safety 101

So, you think you know water safety? Take this quiz by the Red Cross. Your results may be a bit humbling!

The kids most vulnerable around water are the youngest. Even though swim programs do exist for infants and toddlers, parents should by no means feel these kids are safe in the water. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has looked into this issue in depth and feels that a child is not truly old enough to master swimming in terms of skill and safety until at least the age of 4. Based on their research, the AAP has made the following statements regarding infant and toddler swim programs:

1. "Children are generally not developmentally ready for formal swimming lessons until after their fourth birthday.

2. Aquatic programs for infants and toddlers should not be promoted as a way to decrease the risk of drowning. 

3. Parents should not feel secure that their child is safe in water or safe from drowning after participation in such programs.  

4. Whenever infants and toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within an arm's length, providing "touch supervision." 

5. All aquatic programs should include information on the cognitive and motor limitations of infants and toddlers, the inherent risks of "water, the strategies for prevention of drowning, and the role of adults in supervising and monitoring the safety of children in and around water. 

6. Hypothermia, water intoxication, and communicable diseases can be prevented by following existing medical guidelines and do not preclude infants and toddlers from participating in otherwise appropriate aquatic experience program.

Swim Program Basics

Most current camps and swim programs follow the current Red Cross swim programs. You can find the most recent Red Cross guidelines for those programs here and the most up to date information on Red Cross swim programs here. One way to be sure your child is getting the most safe and up to date swim program is to ask the director of the program what program they follow. If they say "Red Cross" and show you guidelines similar to those on the Red Cross website, you're in good shape. In addition to just following the program of study, also ask if the instructors are Red Cross "Water Safety Instructor" certified.

Your Kids and Water Safety

So, as you explore various water places this summer, don't be lulled into a false sense of security because of swim lessons. They are important components in helping our kids feel comfortable in the water but don't go much beyond that until kids are much, much older.

Also, notice that the AAP's statements emphasize not just adult supervision but direct adult supervision. If you can't reach your child, or your child you, you are too far way. Don't think that bubbles or water floaties offer any additional support, by the way. These help maximize enjoyment but don't help kids keep their heads above water or avoid drowning. You are still your preswimmers best layer of protection.

Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, MD is a pediatrician living in the Boston area and the founder and Editor-In-Chief of www.Pediatricsnow.com.

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