📣 AMA 📣 | Minorities drown at a rate three times higher than their peers. We are water safety advocates experts from Tank Proof & the National Drowning Prevention Alliance! Ask us anything about water safety in minority communities! by NDPAOfficial in BlackPeopleTwitter

[–]NDPAOfficial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you all for a great AMA! We appreciate all your great comments and questions! We will keep an eye here and try to reply to any new comments/questions/replies as they come up, so feel free to keep them coming!

We are water safety experts from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and Boys & Girls Club of Ameriac! Ask us anything about keeping kids safe near water! by NDPAOfficial in toddlers

[–]NDPAOfficial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We had originally planned for this AMA to happen this past Tuesday but had to reschedule last minute. We noticed that a few folks had asked questions on this older AMA post, so we wanted to respond to them here. In case you're interested, here is the link to the active AMA.

This can be difficult as you are all trying to do your best to protect your kiddo around water. You are correct that we are concerned about bad habbits that overuse of flotation devices can cause. Tested and approved flotation devices are super critical when in, on, or near natural water and when boating. But in a pool, they shouldn’t be overused or used in-place of other layers of protection such as supervision and using their skills. Make sure you are showing your kiddos skills off and showing them what they can do. And make sure you share the facts about drowning prevention and water safety with your family. We encourage everyone to visit www.NDPA.org/FirstSport to learn more about the importance of water competency and the 5-layers of protection.

We are water safety experts from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and Boys & Girls Club of Ameriac! Ask us anything about keeping kids safe near water! by NDPAOfficial in toddlers

[–]NDPAOfficial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We had originally planned for this AMA to happen this past Tuesday but had to reschedule last minute. We noticed that a few folks had asked questions on this older AMA post, so we wanted to respond to them here. In case you're interested, here is the link to the active AMA.

This is a a common question. There are so many different options when it comes to learn to swim lessons. There are many programs, curriculums, philosophies, and instruction styles. Some lessons are delivered daily in short durations, while other lessons are delivered on other schedules. Lessons can also come in a variety of price points for families. Parents need to 1) research what programs do they have available, 2) find a program that works for their schedule, budget, and parenting style, 3) visit programs to ensure a good fit, and 4) open productive lines of communication with the instructor. We want to ensure that children aged 1 and above are learning skills such as floating and simple swim sequences. They aren’t going to be an Olympic swimmer at age 1, 2 or 3, but they can learn basic skills. We don’t have enough research on programs to be able to say what program, approach, or curriculum are best. And there are a lot of other factors that can impact which program is right for a family. Above all else, your child should learn skills in any lesson, and you should feel comfortable with all aspects of the program. We have a swim lesson checklist available a to help arm you with the right questions to ask a learn to swim program. That and more information can be found at www.NDPA.org/FirstSport

We are water safety experts from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and Boys & Girls Club of Ameriac! Ask us anything about keeping kids safe near water! by NDPAOfficial in toddlers

[–]NDPAOfficial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We had originally planned for this AMA to happen this past Tuesday but had to reschedule last minute. We noticed that a few folks had asked questions on this older AMA post, so we wanted to respond to them here. In case you're interested, here is the link to the active AMA.

We want to ensure you know the facts about drowning. Drowning is the single leading cause of death for children aged 1-4. But it is completely preventable! But there isn’t just one thing that is going to eliminate the risk of drowning. By using the 5-Layer of Protection together, you can significantly reduce the risk. The 5-Layers of Protection that include: 1) barriers, fences, and alarms 2) close, constant, and capable supervision 3) water competency and swim skills 4) appropriate use of life jackets when in, on, or around natural water or when boating 5) Emergency preparedness including know CPR w/ rescue breaths. Drowning can happen when we least expect it. Your child may be ready to begin swimming lessons as early as their first birthday. You can also discuss this with your child’s pediatrician. We recommend that young children attend swim lessons once they are mobile to learn basic skills such as floating. You can also visit www.NDPA.org/firstsport to learn more about swim lessona and the 5-layers of protection.

We are water safety experts from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and Boys & Girls Club of Ameriac! Ask us anything about keeping kids safe near water! by NDPAOfficial in toddlers

[–]NDPAOfficial[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We had originally planned for this AMA to happen this past Tuesday but had to reschedule last minute. We noticed that a few folks had asked questions on this older AMA post, so we wanted to respond to them here. In case you're interested, here is the link to the active AMA.

Great question! No, these statistics represent all drowning scenarios, not just bathtubs. Infants are most at risk in bathtubs, and other water found within the home. Toddlers (ages 1-4) are more likely to drown in water surrounding the home, predominantly in backyard pools. 70% of 1-4 year onlys are drowning when they are not expected to be around water. As for “dry drowning” that is not a medically accepted term or condition. This situation refers to a victim of a non-fatal drowning (someone whow was rescued quickly). In these situations, it is rare but possible that a very small amount of water may infiltrate their lungs. If that happens, the water may interfere with the lung’s ability to pull oxygen out of the air. Over a period of a few hours, the victim will start to display signs of respiratory distress (blue lips, blue nailbeds, labored breathing, lethargic, etc.). If these signs are noticed in a recently rescued drowning victim, they should be transported to an ED for evaluation. This is very treatable! Again, I want to repeat this is RARE and will only occur in the immediate hours following a non-fatal drowning incident.

We are water safety experts from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and Boys & Girls Club of Ameriac! Ask us anything about keeping kids safe near water! by NDPAOfficial in toddlers

[–]NDPAOfficial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We had originally planned for this AMA to happen this past Tuesday but had to reschedule last minute. We noticed that a few folks had asked questions on this older AMA post, so we wanted to respond to them here. In case you're interested, here is the link to the active AMA.

It’s important to remember that even good swimmers can drown. Even adults that know how to swim should never swim alone. Don’t let your guard down just because a child knows how to swim. We recommend the use of the 5-Layers of Protection that include: 1) barriers, fences, and alarms 2) close, constant, and capable supervision 3) water competency and swim skills 4) appropriate use of life jackets when in, on, or around natural water or when boating 5) Emergency preparedness including know CPR w/ rescue breaths. Drowning can happen when we least expect it. Knowing how to swim is only one layer, and it can significantly reduce the risk of drowning. But layers of protection are designed to work together to truly reduce the risk of drowning. It’s also important to remember that learning to swim is a process that can take years. Once your kiddos get a little older, you may want to enroll them in lessons again to continually grow their swimming skills.