in place. Do you have an alarm on the door in case your child gets outside? Do you have a fence around the pool that is locked at all times? Do you and any caretaker know CPR? These are all important issues to prevent these senseless drownings. It only takes an inch of water for a child to drown. Please be sure that all planters or buckets are empty. If you child is missing first place to look is the pool. Be pro-active and help us help you save these children from drowning.
Jan
10
in place. Do you have an alarm on the door in case your child gets outside? Do you have a fence around the pool that is locked at all times? Do you and any caretaker know CPR? These are all important issues to prevent these senseless drownings. It only takes an inch of water for a child to drown. Please be sure that all planters or buckets are empty. If you child is missing first place to look is the pool. Be pro-active and help us help you save these children from drowning.
Jan
3
Enroll your child today-our programs is state and nationally recognized as one of the most comprehensive programs for young children. If your child can crawl they can get to a pool.
Nov
30
For the past three months twice a week we have worked with children ages 3 to 7 perfecting their strokes, their breathing, their endurance and most important their team spirit. They have developed in so many areas and far exceeded even their own expectations. Our swim meet was absolutely amazing with over 100 visitors cheering their little Olympians while they move through the water trying to beat their team mate.
Being part of a swim team at a young age improves these children’s ability in the water and give them the sense of “I can do it” more than anyone could possibly imagine. We have created some spectacular swimmers who we know will continue to succeed in swimming. Our next swim team practice will begin in February and we are so excited to see our old and some new swimmers back.
There are so many benefits to children participating on a swim team. Their ability to use all their muscles in a safe environment is tremendous. They learn proper swim strokes that will be used throughout their lives. The exercise that prevents childhood obesity is better then any other type of exercise as they use every part of their body and develop incredible muscle tone.
There are so many social and health benefits to being on a swim team. The children develop lasting friendships and team spirit. All of our kids have become so close and when they are together they cheer for each other during their meets and respect each other out of the water.
For more information about our kids swim Teams in Plantation, Florida, visit babyotterswimschool.com. To keep up with the latest news and pics from our school, you can follow us on the Baby Otter Swim School Facebook page and the Baby Otter Swim School Twitter Account.
Aug
31
Have a safe and wonderful Labor Day .
Aug
15
Enrolling your child in a proper swim team is not only an exciting sport it is one of the safest sports. Also, just about anyone can do it, and it’s affordable. A swim team is social. It is very easy to make friends with kids you train with just about every day! A bonus is the fitness. Whether your child plays soccer in the spring, basketball in the winter, or gymnastics all year long, swimming 45 minutes a day 2 days a week improves their overall fitness level. There is NO cardio like swimming. They achieve unbelievable levels of self esteem regardless of what skill level your child starts, it is just about guaranteed they will improve as the team goes along.
If your child has a love of the water and enjoys swimming, they will benefit from joining our swim team. We coach every child to be the best they can be and always encourage them to strive for just one more lap. We are loving but at the same time teach them to stay focused and realize their own potential. Some of the kids who started with our team would not even jump into the deeper part of their own pool and by the end of the three month team they were doing 8-10 laps using perfect strokes and most important so proud of their accomplishments.
At the end of the training and practice we have a swim meet for these 4, 5 and 6 year old future olympians. To watch the faces of their parents is priceless because they sent us kids who could hardly make it across a pool and now they see them competing against their friends performing perfect strokes and gliding through the water. It is a rewarding experience for everyone especially our coaches who put in so much time patience and love. We show these kids that with some persistance and hard work they can do anything and at the end at their meet they truly believe what we instilled in them.
For more information about our kids swim teams in Plantation, Florida, visit babyotterswimschool.com or call 954-704-0080
Jul
19
Their noble campaign comes after a USA Swimming and University of Memphis study that featured particularly disheartening statistics like seven of 10 African American children cannot adequately swim. The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control revealed more troubling facts about African Americans and drowning risks:
- Between 2000 and 2007, the fatal unintentional drowning rate for African Americans across all ages was 1.3 times that of whites. For American Indians and Alaskan Natives, this rate was 1.7 times that of whites.
- Rates of fatal drowning are notably higher among these populations in certain age groups. The fatal drowning rate of African American children ages 5 to 14 is 3.1 times that of white children in the same age range. For American Indian and Alaskan Native children, the fatal drowning rate is 2.3 times higher than for white children.
- Factors such as the physical environment (e.g., access to swimming pools) and a combination of social and cultural issues (e.g., wanting to learn how to swim, and choosing recreational water-related activities) may contribute to the racial differences in drowning rates. Current rates are based on population, and not on participation. If rates could be determined by actual participation in water-related activities, disparity in minorities drowning rates compared to whites would be much greater.
To reverse the devastating trend, the group is focusing on making a national difference: one child at a time.
Below, you can read an excerpt from an article titled “Think Globally, Act Locally“, by USA Swimming.
“The group has set out on a mission to lower drowning rates, raise awareness, and get kids to learn water safety through swimming lessons. They want to teach 125 kids how to swim.”
“Every year at least 20 children have near drowning accidents. Then there are the five to seven youths (each year) that have fatal incidents in the pool,” says the director of the 100 Black Men of Jackson, Iday Oredein.
“Groups like these – local, diverse, pro-swimming groups – are tackling the complicated issues head-on. They do so by offering swimming lessons to those who want them, in areas where parents might be afraid to send their own children into the pool.
In north Jackson, in this excellent article written by Elizabeth Crisp, a parent was interviewed about her 13-year-old son’s swimming lesson. And what she says illustrates and magnifies a problem also identified in the University of Memphis study: some parents are afraid of the water.
“I was afraid that he would drown [in swimming lessons],” a parent said. “It was more my phobia than his.”
It’s a cyclical problem. Parents did not learn to swim. Thus, their own kids don’t learn to swim. And their kids don’t learn to swim. And if the problem is never tackled, there is a fear that it will persist long into the future.”
For more information about drowning prevention, see our section on swim safety tips and visit our main site: babyotterswimschool.com, to enroll your child in a class. Our national spokesman, Andre Dawson, is an African American male who didn’t learn how to swim until he was 50 years old and several years removed from his pro baseball career. Today, he is helping Baby Otter Swim School touch the lives of swimmers across the nation, of every age and every race.
Jul
6
A child should know the basics of water survival at the time they begin to crawl. Once they master that skill and know how to get out of a pool or a lake if they should fall in they then need to continue and learn more advanced swimming techniques. The technique in this video is usually taught to children ages 5 and older due to the development of their neck muscles and understanding of turning their head to breath and using their arms at the same time. Children are amazing when taught at a young age.
Every child who lives around water especially in Florida, Arizona the two leading states in drowning should be as comfortable in the water as this 2 year old learning Rhythmic Breathing. For more information on water safety, all levels of swim instruction please contact Baby Otter Swim School and follow us on face book at www.facebook.com/babyotterswimschool. You can also follow us on Twitter, at twitter.com/babyotterswim.
Jul
1
Parents must communicate and establish when they will be watching each child. Dads need to remember that a few minutes at the BBQ may seem like a short time, but drownings occur in seconds, and if he’s focused on grilling the meat, he might not notice a tragedy about to unfold in the pool Remember, drownings occur in all types of pools, from traditional concrete underground pools to the plastic kiddie pools that are often sold at large retail stores. While a plastic or inflatable pool might seem like a safe alternative, remember, a child can drown at any depth, even as shallow as the 18″ hard plastic pools.
A recent article in the Poughkeepsie Journal titled, “”Portable pools pose hazard for toddlers“, revealed some startling statistics. According to the article:
“About two dozen children each year drown in portable pools, according to a study published Monday in Pediatrics. Nearly all are under 5.”
Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. told the Poughkeepsie Journal that the portable pools aren’t typically required to meet any local safety standards. Meri-K Appy, president of Safe Kids USA told the Journal that plastic pools pose a unique risk and Appy said:
“When supervising kids in the water, Appy said, caregivers need to give children their full attention.”
At Baby Otter Swim School, our mission is to prevent as many drownings as possible through our programs, including our infant swimming classes and our swimming lessons for children. For more information about our programs, visit babyotterswimchool.com or to enroll your child in a course, call 888-SWIM-KID. We also offer lessons for adults and swimmers of any age.
Jun
29
This is a video of a two year old doing what we call in aquatics Rhythmic Breathing. This is one of the most advanced swimming techniques. This child started swimming lessons at 8 months old and has continued lessons. His parents noticed his love for the water and how easily he took to learning. His first level was the Turn, Kick Reach unique five day program and then from there he went to the Baby Otter Swim Schools second level and now the third being rhythmic breathing. His fascination for learning new strokes was astonishing to all of the instructors. He now enjoys swimming with our five year old swim team. Understand that our children are only limited by our fears not theirs. They can do most anything when taught properly. We tell them at our school, you can do anything you want to do. They believe in themselves as much as we believe in them. With the proper training, love and patience a child of any age can learn some amazing skills, just ask Michael Phelps. Swimming is not only an amazing competative sport but a great activity to overcome the nation’s issue with childhood obesity. Get your children away from the computers and in the water. They won’t even realize they are exercising.
To enroll your child at Baby Otter Swim School near Fort Lauderdale Florida., call (954) 704-0080 or 1-888-swim-kid.
Jun
27
Since you can’t install alarms or heighten the locks on a hotel pool, supervision and communication are two of the most important keys to protect your child from drowning at a hotel pool. Remember, vacations often involve lots of daily events and activity, which means you’re more likely to get distracted at different points throughout the day. Each parent must take responsibility for supervision. Don’t assume your spouse or other children will be watching your child. Confirm which parent will be responsible for watching the child throughout the day. Plan your schedule each morning together as a family so you can establish buddy systems.
Remember, whether or not a lifeguard is on duty at the beach or at your hotel, they can’t watch your child every moment, and drownings can be quick and quiet.
Here are some important facts from a study by the National Safe Kids Campaign, the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Safety Council,Orange County California Fire Authority, Drowning Prevention Foundation, the National Safe Kids Campaign and the CDC.
- Fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years (CDC 2005)
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- It is estimated that for each drowning death, there are 1 to 4 nonfatal submersions serious enough to result in hospitalization. Children who still require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the time they arrive at the emergency department have a poor prognosis, with at least half of survivors suffering significant neurological impairment.
- 19% of drowning deaths involving children occur in public pools with certified lifeguards present.
- A swimming pool is 14 times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the death of a child age 4 and under.
- Children under five and adolescents between the ages of 15-24 have the highest drowning rates.
- An estimated 5,000 children ages 14 and under are hospitalized due to unintentional drowning-related incidents each year; 15 percent die in the hospital and as many as 20 percent suffer severe, permanent neurological disability.
- Of all preschoolers who drown, 70 percent are in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning and 75 percent are missing from sight for five minutes or less.
- The majority of children who survive (92 percent) are discovered within two minutes following submersion, and most children who die (86 percent) are found after 10 minutes. Nearly all who require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) die or are left with severe brain injury.
Baby Otter Swim School swim lessons in Fort Lauderdale Florida offers drowning prevention courses for children, infants and swimmers of all ages.