why teach infant survival swimming?
Our Mission
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1-4. It is the #1 reason a child will not make it to kindergarten.
- More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death.
- For children ages 5–14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death only after motor vehicle crashes
Every year in the United States there are an estimated:
- 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings—that is an average of 11 drowning deaths per day.
- 8,000 nonfatal drownings—that is an average of 22 nonfatal drownings per day.
For every child under 18 that drowns, another 7 receive emergency department care for a nonfatal drowning.Nearly 40% of drownings treated in emergency departments require hospitalization or transfer for further care. Drowning injuries can cause brain damage and other serious outcomes, including long-term disability.
Most drownings in children 1–4 happen in swimming pools. Drowning can happen even when children are not expected to be near water, such as when they gain unsupervised access to pools. 67% of drownings happen during non swim time, a time when children are fully clothed. This is why we test their skills in all layers of clothing. Summer, Spring/Fall, and Winter.
Among infants under 1 year old, 2/3 of all drownings occur in bathtubs. Most drownings happen in home swimming pools among children ages 1–4.
Drowning can happen quickly and quietly anywhere there is water. Kids are fast and it can happen in a matter of seconds. A child under 30 pounds can drown in less than 30 seconds. It happens in lakes and oceans, pools, bathtubs, and even buckets of water. Participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children and young adults. Swimming is a skill that needs to be consistently practiced. It is also the only sport that may save your child's life