How young is too young for children to learn to swim?
A 16-month-old girl who astonishingly powers through the water with no additional help has raised some questions about whether young children should be swimming.
YouTube user AdamBC posted a video of his daughter Elizabeth making her way across the swimming pool all by herself. The toddler appears to flip on her back when she needs a breath of air, but in some instances manages to make it to the other side with just one breath.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook said there's no medical consensus on how old children should be before they learn how to swim. He said it's a false notion that children are born knowing how to swim. What they come with is the bradycardic response, a reflex which causes them to hold their breath when they are submerged under water.
This doesn't protect children from drowning. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children between 1 to 19. Toddlers and teenage boys are at the greatest risk. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reported that one out of five people who drown are children under the age of 14.
Part of the problem with drowning is that it doesn't look like the typical Hollywood scene of flailing arms, loud pleas for help and thrashing water. Instead, people who are drowning experience the instinctive drowning response. For the most part, this renders them unable to physically call out for help. Their mouths bob above and below water level, but not long enough for them to get a breath of air. They cannot voluntarily control their arm movements, which means they won't be able to wave for help or swim to safety. In addition, drowning people's bodies remain upright in the water with no evidence of kicking, so they stay on the surface of the water for 20 to 60 seconds before they begin to sink to the bottom.
Citing studies that showed that children under 4 with swim training were less likely to drown, the AAP reversed their position against teaching toddlers how to swim in 2010. They now state that kids between 1 and 4 may benefit from learning how to handle themselves in the water. They continue to recommend swim lessons for children 4 and older, but do not recommend any formal water safety programs for children under the age of 1.
"Children need to learn to swim," Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, who wrote the AAP's policy statement and technical report on drowning prevention, said in a press release. "But even advanced swimming skills cannot 'drown-proof' a child of any age. Parents must also closely supervise their children around water and know how to perform CPR. A four-sided fence around the pool is essential."
The CDC also recommends children are always watched when they are in and around the water. The pool and deck should be clear of any toys when no one is around so children aren't tempted to slip in the water when no one is around.
People of all ages should adopt the buddy system, always swimming with a friend or at least at a place where a lifeguard is on duty, the CDC added. No one should drink alcohol before or during swimming or while supervising children who are swimming. Swimmers should avoid hyperventilating before swimming underwater, and not try to hold their breath for long periods of time because that can lead to shallow water drowning.
When swimming in natural bodies water, the CDC said wearing life jackets -- especially when doing water sports or boating -- can help lower the risk of drowning. Air-filled or foam toys are not safety devices and should never be used in place of life jackets. Looking at weather forecasts before swimming or boating, knowing what dangerous waves and rip currents look like, and understanding the meaning of different colored beach flags can also prevent future tragedies.
The father of the swimming toddler, Elizabeth, said in his YouTube post that he is a registered nurse and his wife was a life guard and swimming instructor. They both have professional CPR and water safety training, and he has a certification in advanced pediatric life support. Elizabeth has been trained in infant swimming resources, but he was prepared to jump in if she showed any sign of distress in the video.
He advocated for teaching children how to swim in order to prevent accidental drowning, but never to force a child to swim against their will.
"Please! do not just throw your child in the water and expect them to swim. That is both dangerous and a quick way to traumatize your child and scare them from ever swimming," he said.
Watch the full video below:
