In a TikTok, a swimming instructor appears to throw an 8-month-old boy into the pool. But here is why some pediatricians disagree with the technique.
A Colorado mother named Krysta Meyer has been under fire this week after posting a TikTok video of her 8-month-old son Oliver learning to swim. In the clip, a swimming instructor throws the baby into the pool. The caption: “Oliver surprises me every week! I can’t believe he’s barely 2 months old and he’s getting so fast. He’s a little fish. #Baby #swim”
The clip also went viral on Twitter, where it sparked a debate over the technique. While some self-described experts cautioned against the method, others claimed that it is safe because babies can “float on instinct.”
What the Swim School Says About the Technique
In response to the uproar, Oliver Swimming School co-owner Little Fins told BuzzFeed News: “The whole premise behind what we do is safety. We teach 8-month-olds to assess their situation and find an exit strategy [in water]. I know it sounds crazy. ”
According to the outlet, Armstrong trains his instructors for months to teach this specialized class, called a child survival class, designed for children up to 6 months. The goal of the technique is to teach babies to swim and feel so comfortable in the water that they know how to react safely if they fall.
The program behind the 50-plus-year-old method, Infant Swimming Resource (ISR), explains on its website: “Children are curious, capable, and have a rare ability to overcome obstacles such as pool fences; at ISR we take that skill and teach them skills to save themselves if they are alone in the water. ” They also say that they have taught more than 300,000 children and have documented over 800 cases where their taught skills have saved lives.
What Pediatricians Say
Gina Posner, MD, a board-certified pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, explains that instructors trained by the ISR program don’t just throw the baby in the water. “That is the final test,” says Dr. Posner. “They teach the baby to roll onto their back and float if they are in the water. This is really a very important lesson for babies and children to learn, especially if they will be near the water or if they have a backyard pool. This has saved many lives so far. ”
Not all doctors agree with the method. Free N. Hess, DO, a board-certified pediatrician and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Council on Injury, Violence, and Poisoning Prevention (COIVPP) says he has heard from many concerned parents in the wake of Meyers’ TikTok it goes viral. “Pediatricians are also concerned,” she says.
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Dr. Hess echoes the AAP’s stance, recommending a multi-layered approach to avoid drowning, which she notes is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1 to 4. This approach involves safety measures such as ensuring that pools are fenced, there are pool alarms, gate and gate alarms, and pool covers in place and children are always being watched by a “water watcher”. Formal swimming lessons are another piece of the puzzle. “Water survival skills training and swimming lessons can start as early as a year old, and studies show that lessons can reduce the risk of drowning in young children,” says Dr. Hess.
But Dr. Hess would not recommend the type of swimming lessons demonstrated in Meyers’ video. “An infant or toddler can be injured by the force and angle of the drop on the surface of the water, that they can be forced too deep into the water and that they cannot hold their breath at the right time or cannot hold it for a long enough period of time, “he says, noting that it could even increase the risk of decreased brain oxygenation, pneumonia, or even death. “Also, this is simply not one of the most realistic scenarios a child will face when near water. Most babies and toddlers will fall into the water at the water’s edge, not from several feet above it.”
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She notes that children can roll into a pool when they crawl close, slide off the steps of the pool, fall from a standing height in a lake or other body of water, or even lean into a bathtub filled with water. “Only in very rare cases would a child find themselves in a situation where they would fall several feet into a body of water,” explains Dr. Hess. That said, she says she doesn’t see the need for this type of training, especially given the possible risks.
The AAP’s position: There is currently no evidence that infant swimming programs for babies younger than 1 year lower their risk of drowning.
How Parents Can Preempt Childhood Drowning
Ultimately, what everyone can agree on is that all children over the age of 1 must learn to swim, according to the AAP. The organization also notes that participating in formal swimming classes can reduce the probability of death from a a child drowning by 88 percent.
Parents who want to equip children with swimming and survival skills before their 4th birthday can absolutely enroll them in swimming lessons, says Amna Husain, MD, FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician and founder of Pure Direct Pediatrics.
“Enroll your baby in a parent-child water play class where you are with your child at all times while in the pool,” she advises. “I highly recommend classes that include ‘touch supervision,’ where an is always within reach to keep touching the baby.”
Dr. Husain adds that once a child is closer to 4 years old and has learned to float or get out of the pool, he can develop those skills with more advanced movements. And then a summer full of family swimming adventures awaits you.
