The AAP recommends that most children learn to swim from their first year, to prevent drowning

Both in Spain and in other countries around us, drowning is one of the main causes of infant mortality in the first years of life. Not surprisingly, in the United States, for example, nearly 1,000 children under four died during 2017, and 8,700 children and adolescents were treated in the emergency department.

Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just updated the recommendations on prevention of childhood drowning, which includes, among other measures, that whenever possible, children start taking swimming lessons from their first year of life, with the aim of reducing the rate of drowning caused by accidents.

Learning to swim as soon as possible would help reduce drowning rates

Water is everywhere, and the truth is that it is especially attractive for children. With the spring break just around the corner and the ever-coming summer, the beaches, rivers, swimming pools, piers, lakes ... regain special prominence and parents must be very attentive.

That is why the AAP pediatricians have decided to partner with families that have suffered the tragic loss of a child in these circumstances, to make known an update of their recommendations to prevent drowning.

The policy statement entitled "Drowning Prevention" was published on March 15, and Among its recommendations is to teach most children to swim from their first year of life, because early learning could help prevent drowning.

However, it is important to keep in mind that not all children develop at the same rate, so this general AAP recommendation should be specifically assessed by our child's pediatrician.

"According to research, learning to swim from the first year of life could help reduce drowning rates," they say from the AAP. In Babies and more How and when to teach our children to swim?

"Learning to swim is a wonderful activity to enjoy as a family. Therefore, we recommend that parents ask their pediatrician if they think their children are ready to start swimming lessons. And if so, go to experienced and well trained instructors"

"We recommend, ideally, that in addition to swimming in class, young children are taught aquatic survival techniques, and to get out of the water alone if they fall in by accident (aquatic self-tapping)" - says Dr. Linda Quan, coatura of the declaration of drowning prevention policies.

Although the AAP does not recommend swimming lessons in children under one yearHe does advise that parents and babies take matronation classes together in specialized centers, as it is an excellent way to get acquainted with the aquatic environment and start preparing the baby for swimming.

From the age of four, learning to swim is of absolute necessity for most families, although This measure is not everything in preventing child drowning, and from the AAP remember that even the best swimming lessons do not exempt parents and caregivers from taking appropriate safety measures when they are close to aquatic environments.

Other essential water safety measures

The AAP statement also includes other fundamental measures in the prevention of child drowning, for example:

  • Fencing private pools, placing a fence with four sides that complies with established regulations and security measures.

In fact, according to the US Consumer Products Safety Commission, 69 percent of children under the age of five were not expected to be in the pool when they drowned.

"Many infant deaths occur quickly, when children fall into the water by accident without adults noticing. Young children are especially curious, that's why it's so important fencing the pools and placing locks on the access doors"- says Dr. Sarah Denny, one of the authors of the Guide.

  • When young children are playing near water, they should always wear an approved life jacket, and the same happens when they are in the water. Avoid sleeves, floats and other elements that provide false safety, but which can be especially dangerous.

  • Parents and caregivers should never lower their guard, because drowning occurs very quickly and silently. In this sense, the AAP recommends avoiding distractions when we are in the care of a child who is taking a bath or playing near the water, and placed ourselves at a distance such that we can help you with just stretching our arm (what is known as "contact survival")

In Babies and more, never trust the pool lifeguard
  • If we use small and inflatable pools, experts advise empty it immediately as soon as the child leaves the water. The same should be done with bathtubs, buckets, drums or similar. And although we can think that it is a small amount of water, a small child could drown in it in a few seconds.

  • Never leave a child alone in the bathroom, nor of course only in the bathtub. Door locks can become a danger if the child decides to close at a time of carelessness in which the adult has left the bathroom. Likewise, from the AAP they recommend using safe for the covers of the toilets.

Teenagers: second group with higher risk of drowning

According to the AAP, the second age group with the highest risk of drowning death is adolescents. In fact, every year nearly 370 children aged 10 to 19 die in the United States.

Experts warn that the main cause of drowning at these ages is overconfidence in swimming skills, combined with alcohol consumption.

Therefore, in their recommendations on drowning prevention they also advise that adolescents wear homologated life jackets when they are in open water spaces (such as the sea, for example), and learn CRP maneuvers.

Likewise, parents should never overestimate our child's ability to swim, and although we consider that "he is older" or "not well at all," it is advisable not to lose sight of him.

Childhood injury prevention: priority for pediatricians

The Injury prevention is a priority for pediatricians. In this way, thanks to the investigations of recent years and the recommendations they give to parents in consultation, the rate of deaths related to car accidents, sudden infant death, drowning and other unintended injuries has been drastically reduced.

But we still have to improve a lot, and when it comes to drowning it is essential to be aware of the importance of not lose sight of our children for a second when they are bathing or playing near the water.

From the Spanish Association of Pediatrics recommend teach children to swim around age four, although they affirm that there are studies that advance the recommendation around the first and fourth year of life.

In any case, and as recommended by the AAP, before beginning to take swimming lessons and survival techniques in the water, it is necessary to take into account the emotional maturity of the child, his physical limitations, particular health issues or frequency of exposure to water.

In Babies and more Recommendations for a safe swimming in the pool with children

In short, learning to swim should be a priority for all families, although it is important to keep in mind that neither this nor other additional measures, may never replace the security provided by our close and continuous surveillance, as well as knowing how to act in case of an accident.

Photos | iStock

Video: Goldfish Swim School - Drowning Prevention on CBSN New York (March 2024).