Summer is here and the temperatures are skyrocketing. No doubt you and your kids will be spending
time at the beach, pool or lake learning to swim or just cooling off on a hot
day. There are some hazards to swimming
especially for the younger ones. It is
the purpose of this article to dispel 5 common water myths that can put kids in
danger:
1) Myth: My child
swims like a fish with her floaties on.
Truth: Swimming with
floaties is not swimming.
Swimming is the ability to self-propel in the water without
assistance. In fact, the American Red Cross defines independent swimming as the
ability to travel 500 yards–or the length of five football fields–using any
combination of strokes, and to tread water without a floatation device.
Floaties do not help new swimmers gain these life-saving skills.
2) Myth: Dog-paddling
gets my child where he needs to go.
Truth: Dog-paddling
is not swimming.
When children swim with their heads out of the water, their
feet drop down, creating drag and slowing their progress. Hands and feet remain
in constant motion to prevent sinking. Dog-paddlers tire easily, and can become
panicked by fatigue, splashing and accidental submersion if they stop moving.
Also, lifeguards expect parents in close proximity when children are
dog-paddling. When a child demonstrates real swimming, such as freestyle or
breast stroke, the stroke mechanics provide time for exertion and recovery,
allowing the swimmer to move easily and with endurance.
3) Myth: My child
loves the water. Just don’t get her face wet!
Truth: Children who
are not comfortable putting their faces in the water do not love water.
Reluctance to put the face in the water indicates fear or
hesitation. Floatation devices perpetuate this fear by making it easier to keep
their head above the surface. Not until children are comfortable becoming fully
submerged will they ever be truly comfortable and confident in water. Studies
show that children who know how to submerge are safer in and around water. They
stay calmer under water, and find more recovery strategies should they fall in.
Good swim lessons teach submersion techniques to children as young as six
months old. They younger a child is exposed, the faster and easier it is for
going underwater to become second nature. Older children can overcome their
fear and discomfort for submersion with patience and proper coaching.
4) Myth: She’s safe
in the pool as long as she has swim ring.
Truth: Most
floatation devices are considered toys and not lifesaving devices.
Just read the packaging of any swim aid and you’ll find the
words NOT A LIFESAVING DEVICE. Only U.S. Coast Guard-approved floatation
devices prevent drowning since they are specifically designed to prevent
submersion. Unfortunately, these do not help children test their mobility and
breath control, and many exploring children can remove them. Adults must be
vigilant watchers of children wearing floatation devices. They should be used
as a supplement to swim lessons or supervised water exploration so children do
not develop a dependence on them or gain the false notion that they know how to
swim.
5) Myth: Just give
her a few summers and she’ll get the hang of it.
Truth: Year-round
swim lessons promote water safety and lifetime swim skills.
Swimming is not just for summer. Numerous indoor pools and
water parks make swimming a year-round option for recreation, birthday parties,
field trips and more. Unstructured seasonal exposure to water can look like
progress at first, but often reinforce bad habits. Regression is common among young
children that swim only seasonally, so the idea that children will pick up
where they left off is not realistic. Children need regular guided practice to
learn swimming, and swimming-skill milestones are achieved along with physical
and cognitive growth.