‘Never underestimate the abilities of a baby’: Swimming lessons for infants may be the key to help stop drowningsMESA, Ariz. — As excited parents cheer from the water, a 4-month-old baby paddles across the pool on their back. In the other corner of the pool, a group of toddlers is learning how to climb up out of a pool all on their own. Babies, toddlers and young children are here atJust this year alone, three children under 5 years old have drowned and died in Maricopa County.
“They're learning how to float on their backs. They're learning how to hold their breath when they go under. They're learning how to find the edge of the pool.” Kids can start swimming lessons as young as 4 months old at Aqua-Tots. As swim trainer Alyssia Alsas puts it, “Never underestimate the abilities of a baby.”
Infants can reflexively move themselves through water and slow their breathing in response to being submerged. While babies aren’t born with the ability to swim, their primitive reflexes can help keep them afloat long enough for an adult to help. And with the right training, kids only get stronger from there.“By being in swim lessons younger, they're able to grow and understand that confidence in the water as well. And it prepares them for when they get older,” Alsas explained.
Still, swimming lessons are just one piece of the puzzle that is drowning prevention. Barriers and adult supervision are also needed to keep kids safe.“Whether they're at a party, or water at your house, or at a friend's or family, it's very important that the child knows what to do. Parents are always the first line of defense," Alsas said."But if they're not there, we want our children to know how to have that safety and confidence in the water.
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