Infant Swimming

Drowning is the third most common death related accident among children younger than 4 in the United States and the leading cause of death in children younger than 5 in California, Arizona, and Florida. (Ellis & Trent, 1997) People have reacted to such statistics by coming up with programs to teach children to swim. The programs started with the pioneering work of Virginia Hunt Newman who brought the idea over to the United States from Australia. She was taught …

…his eyes open while underwater. Seeing you will calm his initial fears. Noticing bubbles coming up from your child’s mouth indicates that he is holding his breath. (Whitehead & Curtis, 1983) The first time you do this should only be for like three seconds, later you can stay under for 7 seconds. Never submerge your infant for more than eight seconds. When you come up greet him with a big smile. Don’t forget to have fun.