With summer in full swing, many are turning to pools, lakes and oceans to get a break from the heat.
However, even kiddie pools can be hazardous for children of any age.
Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4, according to StopDrowningNow.org. In the United States, it remains in the Top 5 causes of injury-related deaths from birth to 5 years, with 87 percent of those drowning fatalities happening in home pools or hot tubs. Children 5-17 are more likely to drown in natural bodies of water such as ponds or lakes.
While parents will do their best to keep an eye on children near water, drowning is fast and silent, happening in as little as 20-60 seconds.
To help prevent child drownings, survival swim lessons for toddlers and young children are offered in several communities including Weatherford.
“We live in Oklahoma, where nearly everybody has a backyard pool or goes to the lake when it’s hot outside,” Tami Kellar, CEO of the Great Plains Family YMCA, said. “Drowning can happen so quickly, so these lessons can buy parents some time and give children the opportunity to save themselves.”
In 2018, the Weatherford community experienced the tragic loss of two young children in one summer due to drowning. Kellar said the goal of these lessons are to prevent another tragedy from happening.
Children 6-12 months are taught to roll, float, rest and breathe while fully clothed, allowing children to essentially save themselves. It also gives parents time to react and retrieve the child in the water.
Children who are 12 months old and walking are taught the “swim-float-swim” technique as well as how to roll over, float, rest and breathe while fully clothed. Children also will be taught to find a target and swim to safety.
Kellar has extensive training in aquatics safety and is an infant aquatics survival specialist. The YMCA has sessions year-round with a new session beginning August 24.
Lessons are $240 for members and $300 for non-members. However, the YMCA offers scholarships for all of their programs to ensure they are accessible to the entire community.
Kellar said results are guaranteed, meaning children will continue taking lessons until the skills have been acquired.
Courtney McKevitt has put her son Rhett in survival swim lessons since he was 6 months old. Now 2, Rhett knows how to float and swim to safety.
“Where I came from in Dallas, we didn’t have this,” McKevitt said. “I’m thankful, since I have a pool at home, there is place offering these lessons.”
Jillian Kostrzewski recently put her infant son John in the program. She said their farm has ponds and water tanks for livestock, and John is a curious boy who is getting more mobile. Putting her son through the lessons gives her some peace of mind.
The YMCA as an organization began offering what was then called lifesaving classes in 1904 and the first group of swim lesson in 1906.
For more information about the survival swim lesson program, contact Aquatic Director Krystal Milkeraitis at (580) 772-0202 or krystal@gpfymca.org.