Swimming Lessons And Car Seats!!!!!!!!!

By admin

May

13

Parents would never think to put their child into a car without a car seat. Why do some parents take their kids around water without giving them swimming lessons. The answer is clear. Parents believe that this horrible tragedy of drowning could never happen to them. Drowning is an epidemic that this country has not yet embraced. It can happen to anyone. Layers of Protection must be on the minds of all parents/caretakers/grandparents. A drowning can happen in a split second without anyone hearing a sound. this is why drowning is called the silent killer.  Most drownings happen when an adult is present. The child gets away from the adult by either opening a door that does not have an alarm, or slips into a pool that did not have a pool fence or had one that was left open. A parent could be outside with the child and the phone rings. These are just a few of the layers of protection.  Drowning is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 and the frustrating factor is that this is so preventable. Please remember that there is no substitution for Supervision. Always watch your children around water.

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Children Need To Learn How To Swim

By admin

Mar

23

How important is it to teach your child a skill that will not only stay with them for the rest of their lives but teach them an essential survival skill? Water is everywhere, especially in South Florida.

A child can learn to swim as soon as they are crawling. It is instinct for them to learn in the water at a young age since they spent their previous nine months in the water. They understand everything and through tender loving care, persistence  and repetition they do amazing things in the water. As parents we never want our children to cry, but sometimes crying can be a good thing in the world of aquatics especially since they stop crying once they learn how much fun they are actually having in the water. In our 35 years experience we find the kids at the end of the week cry because they don’t want to get out of the water. Amazing is the only word we can use to describe this transition.

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Swimming Should Be On the Minds Of All Parents

By admin

Jan

10

Even though SWIMMING should be on the minds of parents all year round it just isn’t. Most people think that drowning is seasonal but reality is kids have no idea that because it is cold I shouldn’t get near the water. As we move through January and approach spring time parents start to think about swimming lessons and camp. Having your child learn to swim and keeping that skill sharp all year round is one of the most important layers of protection in drowning prevention. Statistics have shown that children that learn at a young age and have access to practicing what they were taught decreases their chance of a drowning. If you have a pool you should have all the layers of protection
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.

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Recent Finding About Swimming Lessons From the American Association of Pediatrics

By admin

Jan

3

” Accidental drowning is one of the leading causes of death in young children. Swimming lessons may seem like the best way to prevent drowning. But, organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends “layers of protection,” meaning that parents must think beyond swimming skills to other ways they can promote water safety.The AAP emphasizes the importance of teaching children how to swim. There has been controversy though, as to what age lessons should start., But, new evidence has led the AAP to adopt the viewpoint that children aged 1-4 may be less likely to drown if they have taken swimming lessons. Ultimately, it is up to the parents to decide whether their young children are emotionally and physically ready to begin formal classes with a swim instructor.” Visit our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com for more information.

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.

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Labor Day Does Not Mark The End Of Drownings

By admin

Aug

31

Usually in this country Labor Day represents the closing of pools and the end of swimming season. This is clearly NOT true. Drownings are NOT seasonal. Parents need to be vigilant when there is water around. Arm floats, life jackets (in a pool) do not represent a child’s ability to be able to save themselves in an emergency. Swimming instructions for children not a one time fix. There are many levels of education in the water just like there are many grade levels in school. Watch your children over the Holiday weekend.

Have a safe and wonderful Labor Day .

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What Age Should A Child Know How To Swim?

By admin

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.

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Child Water Safety Tips for July 4 Holiday Weekend

By admin

Jul

1

July 4th is a great time to celebrate our nation’s independence, but it’s also one of the deadliest holidays for drownings. As millions of families head to the backyard for BBQ with friends and family, the fast pace, the fireworks and the festive atmosphere can distract parents from their most important duty: supervising their child. It’s easy to remember basic fire safety on the fourth, but don’t forget the importance of water safety.

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.

 

 

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Learning to Swim At A Young Age Has So Many Benefits

By admin

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.

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Drowning Prevention Tips for Summer Vacation & Hotel Pools

By admin

Jun

27

Summer is the time of year when many families travel for their annual vacation. If you’ve followed our blog, you’re already familiar with the layers of protection we suggest for every parent, including motion activated alarms and fences with locks above the reach of your child. Unfortunately, these layers of protection aren’t always available when you’re staying in a vacation home or hotel.

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.

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Making Water Safety A Priority

By admin

Jun

20

After lifeguarding the first two days for a camp who comes to our pool, it was astonishing to see that two three year olds needed to be rescued in less than 20 minutes. What are parents thinking by not making swim lessons a TOP priority? As soon as a child can crawl they need to learn to swim from a professional with experience in teaching children how to swim. How do you send a child to a camp when you know they will be going swimming and not make sure that they know how to swim.  Drowning is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5. Parents need to learn and understand all of the layers of protection to be sure that their child is protected.  Swimming lessons are a very important part of drowning prevention. Another important component of drowning prevention is knowing CPR. Make sure you know CPR and any care takers who are watching your children should be trained as well.   Please take this serious and make sure you take all precautions to prevent these senseless drownings.  Make sure when you choose a swim instructor you check out their ceritifications and how long they have been in the industry. Many people claim to be swim instructors but are not ceritified to teach children. Do your homework before hiring someone who will be working with your child.

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Communication is a Key Factor in Child Drowning Prevention.

By admin

Jun

18

No matter how many physical levels of protection you place between your child, verbal communication is vital for ensuring a safe environment. Whether you’re at home or on the road, drowning prevention for children begins with parents who are committed to keeping track of their children throughout the day.

Tragically, many children drown due to poor communication between the adults. It only takes a second of poor supervision for disaster to strike. Earlier this year, Jada Pepin drowned at the Crown Plaza in Melbourne after she feel in the hotel pool. According to family friends who were quoted by Central Florida News 13, Jada’s parents were good, vigilant parents, who lost track of their child. This month, Jada’s parents made an effort to spread awareness about swim safety. They  took part in a water safety event at the Wal Mart in Titusville.

Family friend Shannon Bray said this type of accident could happen to anyone. She told Central Florida News 13:

‘”They were those vigilant parents and it was a miscommunication and a child drowned. “

Family friends said they would like laws to force hotels to have better security gates when it comes to hotel pools and lifeguards on duty. At  Baby Otter Swim School, we’re always happy to see laws in favor of securing pools, but we remind parents they make the biggest difference and they are the final barrier between their child and a water related disaster.

In addition to a steady stream of communication and an awareness of your child’s whereabouts, you can implement other layers of protection around your home.  There should be an alarm on the door that makes a loud noise if the door gets opened. All doors to the pool area should be double bolted and one of the bolts should be at the top where the child can not reach.

Remember, drownings are known as the silent killer, because the victims are unable to exhale and call for help. Together, we can expand awareness about drowning prevention techniques.

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Drownings Can Be Quick and Quiet

By admin

Jun

10

Over 26 years ago when I was at the pool with my children and my daughter disappeared for only seconds was the day my life changed forever. When I couldn’t find her we realized she had SILENTLY slipped under water as she walked down the steps. There was never a sound or a splash. That’s why they call drowning the ‘SILENT KILLER”.

These drownings that are occurring on a daily basis are preventable if parents take note of the proper layers of protection needed. Supervision is the most important layer. Swimming lessons for children are a must. Install alarms on all exits of the house that beep if  opened.   The first place to look when a child is missing is the POOL.  Learn CPR.  Make sure a proper drain covers are in your pool. Know how to turn your pool pump off in case of an emergency. Barriers around the pool like a fence should be closed and locked at all times. Keep a cordless phone outside for emergency use only. Do NOT spend time talking on the phone while supervising children in the pool. If you must leave the pool area for any reason take your kids out of the pool and bring them with you closing the gate behind you.

These are all common sense layers of protection but are the ones most ignored. DROWNINGS ARE PREVENTABLE.  Once your child is crawling they need to know how to swim. If they learn at a young age when the fear has not yet set in they adapt so much better.  We have learned over the past 35 years in this business that the children we teach are only limited by what their parents think they can’t do. They can do anything when taught properly. When we teach our unique 5 day water survival program we always have the kids say “I can do it”. Once they say it they believe it. Parents please pay close attention to swimming season and make sure you follow all the necessary layers of protection.

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Life Skills Learned Through Swim Programs

By admin

May

29

It was so amazing for us last night when we were asked to attend a swim meet from one of our students who has taken many levels of swimming at Baby Otter Swim School.

As we entered the swim meet several families recognized us and came over to us to tell us that their kids were also on the team and that we should be so proud of what we created. As owners of the school and together having over 52 years of combined experience working with kids to teach them every level of swimming we both just sat there in total amazement. These kids were 6 years old.  We looked at each other and said that we can not believe that at one time these kids could not swim and were afraid of the water and now they own the lane they are swimming in. It was an emotion that neither of us could explain but was one of the most rewarding nights we have had in a long time.

We tell parents all the time that kids can learn anything at most any age and they are only limited by their parents. If you train a child at a young age with the proper instruction and with consistency  and love they can learn anything and don’t know that they can’t do these things. We always teach them to say ”I Can Do It”. Watching them swim across that pool last night made us know that we have created future olympians who have so much confidence in themselves.  Parents, this post is for you–Teach Your Kids To Swim and they will always have an amazing life skill.

For more information on our amazing programs visit our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com or call 888-SWIM-KID.  Please become a fan of our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/babyotterswimschool) and follow us on twitter @babyotterswim.  Please be careful over the holiday weekend and remember there is no substituion for supervision.

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Watch the Baby Otter Swim School Commercial

By admin

Mar

3

Have you heard the Baby Otter Swim School jingle? Check it out:

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Swim Lessons for Adults: Kids Shouldn’t Have All the Fun!

By admin

Feb

28

How many times do we say to ourselves I wish I had learned how to do this? Well it is never too late to learn anything especially a skill like swimming. Swimming has so many wonderful benefits for our bodies in addition to a must know for safety. Did you know that swimming has the least amount of impact on your body and it uses all of your muscles at the same time. Cardio in a pool is much different then running a mile for cardio exercise. At our school we have had trainers, runners and very well fit individuals who can’t swim a few laps but on the ground they are amazing. That is because swimming is a total different type of cardio as it burns more fat and uses all of the muscles at the same time.

As exercise is an important reason to learn to swim safety is the first. An adult can drown as easily as a child can without the proper skills. In our state of Florida we have canals, lakes and some are on the side of major roads. What would happen if your car went off the road and you could not swim. Most adults who don’t swim either never had the opportunity to learn or had a trauma as a child which inevitably turned into a fear that was never addressed.

Teaching the hall of famer Ändre Dawson how to swim at age 50 and conquer his fear of the water was very rewarding as an aquatic expert. He loved being in the pool knowing the proper procedures to take to overcome his fear. Andre Dawson’s swimming lessons to learn has lead him on a drowning prevention awareness mission. He hopes that his story helps other’s conquer the fear of the water and makes parents aware of the importance of their children being safe in and around the pool.

Swimming is a skill and a social outlet that every parent/adult should invest themselves into. We like to be with our kids and to be able to swim with them for fun and exercise is an amazing experience. Fear is conquered by doing something that you are afraid of over and over again knowing that each time it gets easier. With the right instructor who understands your fear and the proper way to teach can make the experience a wonderful learning time in the pool. The water is empowering, relaxing and the best type of exercise with the least amount of trauma to your body. We have had so many adults who have taken lessons say they wish they would have done this years ago. May it your goal to learn to swim this year and have a water safe day….

Expert in Adult Swimming Lessons Marlene Bloom from Baby Otter Swim School

Drowning Prevention Experts realize the importance of educating parents and pool owners on the Layers of Protection to stop drownings in and around the home. Please tour the website at http://www.babyotterswimschool.com
Marlene Bloom expert in Adult Swiming Lessons at Baby Otter Swim School

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The Importance of Swimming Lessons For Children

By admin

Jan

27

As we approach spring time and the weather is warming there is an increase in drownings. Swimming lessons for children and infant swim classes can prevent tragedy from striking your family. One of the greatest causes of accidental deaths among preschool children is drowning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2007 almost 30% of children ages 1 to 4 who died of an unintentional injury died of drowning.

Our five day program designed over 38 years ago was to introduce water survival to children on a one to one basis with the parents watching so they could participate in the long term practice needed to enhance the child’s ability to survive if they should fall into a body of water.
. Generally, the children who have their parents involved in the swimming lessons will coordinate better and become skillful swimmers long before those do not have such opportunity.

In its updated policy, the AAP has revised its guidance on swimming lessons. This new guideline is a monumental change that indicates that the AAP recognizes the evidence that U.S. Swim School Association member schools have been promoting for years: formal swim lessons are a vital part of the multilevel approach to drowning prevention and water safety.They believe that by giving this knowledge to parents, much better results can eventually be achieved, as parents may practice the skills outside the formal environment of baby swimming lessons. Swimming lessons can be an important part of the overall protection, which should include pool barriers and constant, capable supervision
The statement goes on to say that new evidence shows that children ages 1 to 4 may be less likely to drown if they have had formal swimming instruction.

Drownings don’t discriminate. It can happen and does to ANYONE.
There is NO cure for drowning only PREVENTION. Every parent, pool owner should know all of the layers of protection to have in place to prevent these senseless drowning- http://www.tenminutesforlife.com for more information.

Drowning Prevention Experts realize the importance of educating parents and pool owners on the Layers of Protection to stop drownings in and around the home. Please tour the website at http://www.babyotterswimschool.com to preview the DVD… http://www.tenminutesforlife.com

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Swimming Lessons For Adults – Kids Shouldn’t Have All the Fun!

By admin

Jan

27

How many times do we say to ourselves I wish I had learned how to do this? Well it is never too late to learn anything especially a skill like swimming.  That’s why we offer swimming lessons for adults. Swimming has so many wonderful benefits for our bodies in addition to a must know for safety. Did you know that swimming has the least amount of impact on your body and it uses all of your muscles at the same time. Cardio in a pool is much different then running a mile for cardio exercise.

At our school we have had trainers, runners and very well fit individuals who can’t swim a few laps but on the ground they are amazing. That is because swimming is a total different type of cardio as it burns more fat and uses all of the muscles at the same time.

As exercise is an important reason to learn to swim safety is the first. An adult can drown as easily as a child can without the proper skills. In our state of Florida we have canals, lakes and some are on the side of major roads. What would happen if your car went off the road and you could not swim. Most adults who don’t swim either never had the opportunity to learn or had a trama as a child which inevitably turned into a fear that was never addressed.

We had the pleasure several years ago to teach the new Hall of Famer Ändre Dawson how to swim and at age 50 he conquered his fear of the water. He loved being in the pool knowing the proper procedures to take to overcome his fear. His desire to learn has lead him on a drowning prevention awareness mission with our school Baby Otter Swim School located in Plantation Florida. He hopes that his story helps other’s conquer the fear of the water and makes parents aware of the importance of their children being safe in and around the pool.

Drowning Prevention Experts realize the importance of educating parents and pool owners on the Layers of Protection to stop drownings in and around the home. Please tour the website at http://www.babyotterswimschool.com to preview the DVD… http://www.tenminutesforlife.com

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Help Special Needs Kids Learn Drowning Prevention

By admin

Dec

9

Happy Holiday Season To All Of Our Baby Otter Families.

Once again we are doing our yearly fundraising for our special needs and underprivileged children. These are the children who are not privy to receiving the very imperative drowning prevention swim lessons offered at Baby Otter Swim School.  Through our nonprofit 501 (C)(3) Baby Otter Scholarship & Education Fund we are trying to raise money to help as many of these wonderful children as possible.

Because of a personal and almost tragic incident that involved one of the co-founders child the importance of drowning was conceptualized and developed over 35 years ago to teach children starting at 10 months old the preventable drowning methods and techniques of Baby Otter.

Since its inception Baby Otter Swim School has met and continues to meet the needs of children from low-income, single parent households and especially special-needs children. But we need your help to continue to offer these services for free.

Our parents have always committed to be involved in our fundraising for this very important cause and I might add that the involvement is a true testament to the good work the school has done in teaching our swimming techniques. By partnering with us on this mission you will have become a part of the solution to one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of 5-DROWNING.

Please take a moment and tour our non-profit site at www.BabyOtterfund.org for more information. You can help sponsor a child through the website or call the office to make your donation. Remember that all donations are tax deductible.

Thanking you in advance from all of the children who will benefit from your kindness.

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The Many Benefits of Joining a Swim Team

By admin

Aug

17

Swimming is a fun team sport and a great way for kids and teens to stay healthy while making lifelong friends. There are so many benefits to being on a swim team.

  1. Just about anyone can do it-All they need is a desire to work hard and learn. An added bonus is swimming can be a lifelong and useful life skill
  2. Affordable-For the skills they learn and the practice time they get in the pool on a weekly basis the fees are inexpensive for the return of benefits.
  3. Social- Swim teams are a great and easy way to make friends with kids that train with you every day. These are long term lasting friendships that share a common goal and likeness.
  4. Fitness-Swimming improves overall fitness. It is much easier on the child’s joints than higher impact sports. Swimming also builds muscle and endurance to prevent childhood obesity.
  5. Self Esteem- On our teams everyone’s a winner at different levels with ribbons, and awards of some sort at the end of the season. The feeling of accomplishment to get to the other side of the pool while people are cheering for you is an amazing feeling to a child who is working so hard to compete. They reach levels of unbelievable proportion and leave with such a sense of accomplishment.

At Baby Otter Swim School in Plantation Florida our teams offer not only physical benefits but emotional and psychological. We have found in our over 50 years in aquatics that sports like “swimming” teach children about setting benchmarks, about seeking improvement and striving for a level of perfection every time they get into the water, no matter how they get across that pool. Our experience has shown us that swimming increases levels of self esteem increasing confidence and lowering stress levels.

In addition to our swim teams starting as young as 4 years old we would like to announce the launch of our new Special Needs swim team. These amazing loving children will experience the benefits of a swim team combined with our professional instruction coaching and most important our love of them and the sport of swimming. The Special Needs swim team is just one of many swimming programs for youth offered at Baby Otter Swim School.

For more information on our swim teams please contact Baby Otter Swim School at 954-704-0080 and visit our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com and our most comprehensive up to date blog at www.babyotterswimschoolblog.com.

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Photos from the Miami Herald Story

By admin

Aug

11

Here are some photos scanned from the hard copy edition of the Miami Herald’s article which covered our drowning prevention & swim safety  event, in Plantation,Florida. Chicago Cubs’ legend and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Andre Dawson , interacted with all the young swimmers at the event. Dawson is the national spokesperson for Baby Otter Swim School in Plantation,Fl. Click Here to read the Miami Herald story on our blog.

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Miami Herald’s article on our drowning prevention/swim safety event

By admin

Aug

10

*All content below is from the Miami Herald article: Hall of Famer helps push water safety (See official article at:(http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/05/1763772/hall-of-famer-helps-push-water.html)

BY HEATHER DULMAN-NICCOLI

PLANTATION

Hall of Famer helps push water safety

Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson makes his pitch for promoting water safety and teaching people of all ages to swim.

BY HEATHER DULMAN-NICCOLI hniccoli@MiamiHerald.com

Andre Dawson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25, but the Miami-born legend can also boast about another milestone in his life: learning to swim at age 50.

Six years ago, a friend of Baby Otter Swim School founders Marlene Bloom and Mindy York approached Dawson at a Make-A-Wish Foundation banquet about becoming a spokesman for the school.

“There was one stipulation,” Dawson said, “that I learn how to swim first.”

Wearing a Baby Otter Swim School T-shirt, “The Hawk,” now 56, talked about learning to swim as an adult while attending the end-of-summer splash party and water-safety awareness program Aug. 1 at the swim school at Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El in Plantation, where he also signed autographs and took pictures with fans.

“The toughest part was seeing the kids learn how to swim,” said Dawson, recalling his swimming lessons six years ago. “I’m like, oh my God, these kids do not fear the water. But as an adult, you fear the water, you know what the potential could be. But it’s not difficult if you stick with it and you go through that week of training and get the basics.”

The state faces a dire situation when it comes to drownings, safety experts said.

In Florida, drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death for children under 5 years old and it only takes three seconds for a child to drown, according to the Plantation Fire Department.

Staci York, daughter of Baby Otter Swim School co-founder Mindy York, almost drowned when she was 17 months old.

“I won’t let that happen to my son,” said Staci York, 26. Her 23-month-old son, Jayden Cadet, knows how to swim.

“It is important at any age,” she said. “You can fall into any body of water. You need to learn to get yourself out of that situation.”

Shirley Harold of Lauderhill said that in 2008 her 2-year-old great-grandson J’Mari Johnson was found “floating at the top of the pool.”

She has been on a “quest” since her great-grandson’s death and wants people to understand the dangers of leaving a child unsupervised, even for a second.

Harold, a volunteer for the Baby Otter Swim School, said, “It’s not just 2-year-olds [who are drowning]. It’s also African Americans, 15- and 18-year-olds who drown.”

She stressed the importance of teaching people of all ages to swim.

So does the Plantation Fire Department, which presented safety demonstrations at the event.

“We got together with Plantation General with a program that was simple,” said Joel Gordon, battalion chief of the Plantation Fire Department. “We focus on the message, watch the water, watch the kids.”

The Plantation Fire Department presented a CPR demonstration with help from 3-year-old volunteer Jordana Grossman of Sunrise.

She pretended to call 911 and answer a few questions from the operator. There was a dummy in the water and as soon as Jordana got off the phone, firetruck sirens rang out and firemen went through the procedure of rescuing a child.

After the demonstration, the kids and the parents went straight into the pool to cool off and have a good time. On the hot and sticky afternoon, everyone who brought a bathing suit went into the water for a free swim.

“We are one of the few schools that have swimming as part of the P.E. curriculum,” said Saul Kravec, president of Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El.

Dawson, special assistant to Florida Marlins president David Samson, said he “gravitated” to the idea of promoting water safety because “of the importance of it.”

The Baby Otter Swim School teaches anyone from 8 months to senior citizens.

“I taught Andre how to swim,” Bloom said. “We are very good with adults.”

Dawson said for adults learning to swim, “I think the older we get, our fears start to intensify, but once you get the basics down and get over the fear, you enjoy it.”

For more information on the Baby Otter Swim School, call 954-704-0080 or visit babyotterswimschool.com.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/05/1763772/hall-of-famer-helps-push-water.html#ixzz0wGjw2gSF

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Baby Otter Swim School Hosts Kids Water Safety Event

By admin

Jul

26

As we approach August here in Broward County,Florida the drowning statistics have more then doubled. Just today another child drown in Miramar. Last week in Orlando two toddlers were found face down in a pool while a parent was watching the two children.

The mother said she only left them for only five minutes. While most of us do leave a room where our children are for a few minutes, parents must understand that all doors to the pool area should be double bolted and one of the bolts should be at the top where the child can not reach.

There should be an alarm on the door that makes a loud noise if the door gets opened. The first place a parent should look is in the pool. Layers of protection need to be in place to stop these daily drownings that are occurring in our county and the surrounding counties in Florida.

This Sunday August 1 from 12-3 Baby Otter Swim School is partnering with the Broward County Drowning Prevention Task Force, Joe DiMaggio Hospital, Safe Kids of Broward County,Red C ross, Costco The Broward County Health Department and many more to bring valuable drowning prevention information to the families of Broward, Dade and Palm Beach County.

There will be swimming demonstrations, free swim, and in addition the newly inducted Hall of Famer Andre Dawson will be on site to meet and sign autographs. Andre Dawson is the national spokesperson for Baby Otter Scholarship and Education Fund a non profit dedicated to drowning prevention. The event was created for all drowning prevention experts to join together to bring information and fun to the public for awareness.

The Miami Herald wrote an article to preview the event. Click HERE to read Herald article.

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Take our Poll!

By admin

Jul

21

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Baby Otter Swim School Students Love the Pool!

By admin

Jun

27

As you may have already noticed in our Swim School videos, Jayden has a true passion for the pool and no fear of the water. Here’s a recent pic of Jayden leaping into the air to make a giant splash!

Jayden loves leaping into the water!

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Swimming Lessons Are A Gift Of Life

By admin

Jun

27

As July 4th weekend approaches more and more families will be outside in the sun and around the water swimming. People are having barbeque’s and parties. This is when most of the drownings occur when someone thinks that another adult is watching the children in the pool. Parents need to understand that supervision is the first layer of protection in the cure for drowning prevention. There should be a buddy system in place in the pool where everyone has to go to the side with their buddy and the parent who is supervising at that time does a head count. These type of precautions are vital to having a fun and being safe.

Have you ever wondered what to give someone for a gift that has everything. What about a certificate called the “Gift Of Life” for swimming lessons. At Baby Otter Swim School located in Plantation Florida we offer these gifts and tell people it is the gift that keeps on giving. What a way to tell someone you care about them. They actually think of you when they receive the gift and when they take the lessons. These lessons are invaluable and knowing that you were the one who could have saved a child’s or adult’s life by purchasing this is so comforting.

The month of June did not weather well for drownings. It is one of the worst months in history when it comes to these children drowning. These are preventable and knowing how to swim is essential for children as well as adults.  This drowning epidemic is so out of control and this country has not yet embraced the severity of this horrible disease called drownings.

For more information please tour our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com.

Have a Water Safe Holiday.

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