Lake Country Pediatrics, SC is partnering with local swim school to provide reduced cost, skills-based swim instruction to LCP families.
Justin L. Schilz, MD
As the weather turns warmer and Lake Country families get some much-needed time outdoors with their little ones, it will frequently involve a trip to the local pools, lakes and waterparks in the Lake Country and surrounding areas. For some, this might also involve taking a dip in a personal pool at home, or taking the boat out on the water for some fishing, swimming and water-sports. Particularly given the circumstances over the past year, social-distancing guidelines have increasingly required us to find safe and family-centered outdoor activities, making our lakes and beaches a needed go-to option for finding entertainment!
As we look to enjoy our water activities with young children, it is important to ensure their safety as well. Unfortunately, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in kids aged 1 to 4, and is also the third-leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths in ages 5-19. Formal swimming lessons are known to reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent, according to the USA Swimming Foundation. Considering these facts, in 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics revised their swimming lesson recommendations to extend all the way down to the first birthday to help decrease the risk for drowning. Even before this age, infants can benefit from time in the water with a parent, to reduce potential fears later on.
When looking at swimming lessons for young children, there are several important factors to consider in addition to age of the child. These include:
- A focus on safety and on progressing survival skills in the event of an unexpected water entry. This may additionally include practice in entering the water with clothing on.
- An organized approach to skill-building, with milestones and goals to progress to the next level which are age-appropriate and understandable to the child.
- A professional and personable teaching staff with certified instructors that are well-versed at interacting with a variety of age groups and all skill levels, from pre-swimmer to competitive-level swimming.
- A small group format – particularly important for young children, who learn socially – with student-to-instructor ratio of no more than 6-to-1 (lower for younger students).
- A large pool with shallow and deep portions, dedicated to lessons and without outside distractions while lessons are going on.
In order to provide LCP families with a go-to resource for swimming lessons, LCP has partnered with British Swim School™, a local franchise which operates lessons out of the St. John’s Northwestern Academy pool. British Swim School™ observes all of the above criteria, in a fun and family-centered environment and in a convenient location for Lake Country families. This is also done while observing the recommendations for social distancing and limiting infection risk for families through both physical spacing, utilizing small groups and wearing of face coverings.
For a limited time, families of LCP patients can have their registration fees waived (a $36 value)! To take advantage of this offer, just stop by either LCP location and pick up a brochure, which will have a sticker with your child’s name on it, to provide at the time of enrollment.
See you at the pool!