White Rock YMCA
Across the country, drowning is the second cause of death in preschoolers. The YMCA wants to drop that statistic by getting as many kids as possible enrolled in swimming lessons and educating parents.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88%.
While that s important, experts said it’s just as crucial to educate parents on preventing drowning in the first place.
“Many parents think that their child will scream or kick when they are in trouble in the water, but the sad fact is that you will not hear your child drown. Drowning is quick and silent. It takes 20 seconds for a child to become unconscious, 90 seconds for irreversible damage,” said Jennifer Pewitt, Associate vice president of Aquatics at the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. “The majority of children drown in backyard pools and with adults around – but they may be distracted or do not have their eyes actively on the