And we say, duh. But it's not quite as obvious as it sounds, it turns out. Apparently, the accepted wisdom regarding swimming lessons had been to hold of until a child is five or older -- that's according to the old advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Their fear was that younger kids who had had lessons (and their parents) would be endangered by a false sense of confidence around bodies of water. And after all, you can drown even if you've had swimming lessons.
But a new study suggests that swimming lessons for kids of all ages can help prevent drowning. Researchers looked at child deaths by drowning over a two-year period, comparing the victims' experience with swimming against other children the same age in their locations. According to lead author Dr. Ruth A. Brenner, the data indicated that swimming lessons did decrease the risk of drowning among young children (though the study adds the standard caution that even good swimmers can drown).
Does this mean you should ever let your young kids run around near an ungated pool, or leave them to swim unsupervised? Hell no. But does it mean that early exposure to water and swimming are not just a fun warm-weather activity but can also provide valuable skills that may help them in the future? Yes. Now if only I could find a mom-friendly swimsuit...
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