Do swimming lessons for very young children help lessen the risk of drowning?
Do swimming lessons for very young children help lessen the risk of drowning?The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long held that children under the age of 4 aren’t considered “developmentally ready” for swimming lessons. While younger kids can still enjoy the water, the belief was that motor skill development and maturity weren’t yet sufficient to truly master swimming skills needed to help promote water safety. That stance has now changed. So, are children ever too young for swimming lessens as a way to prevent drowning and promote water safety?Answer: A growing number of swimming programs offer swimming lessons for infants and toddlers, and the AAP now agrees that swimming lessons can help to increase water safety awareness and prevent drowning. Most lessons for young children focus on water safety aspects, and basic skills such as jumping in deep water and being able to return safely to the side can be learned. Kids can also learn to float and to hold their breath under wate
