How Survival Swimming Lessons for Your Child Could Make the Difference Between Life and Death

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By: Gerelyn Terzo

When it comes to their children, many parents have identified the danger of drowning as something they lose sleep over. And with good reason. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), drowning instances have been on the rise, identifying drowning as the No. 1 cause of death for toddlers between the ages of one and four. One clear remedy would be if more communities would make swimming lessons more easily accessible to families, the CDC said. 

The San Diego, California family of a 17-month old boy is forever grateful that they took proactive steps ahead of time, saving the life of their child. The young boy, whose name is Frankie, fell into the water after running around the poolside, a story in Upworthy documents. The incident, which was captured on a home security camera, could have easily turned fatal - but for the critical swimming lessons that his parents had astutely arranged previously, saving the toddler’s life.

Frankie had been enrolled in what’s known as Infant Self Rescue (ISR) classes beforehand, taking lessons for months leading up to the fateful incident and leaving the training fresh in his head. After being taught to right himself and float, those instincts kicked in when Frankie needed them the most - as he hit the deep water. As a result, he was wise enough to take a deep breath while falling into the pool below, giving him more time to react. 

Even after being upside down in the water, he maneuvered until he was right side up and able to take breaths once again. From there, the child continued to float on his back until he was spotted by a parent, his father. The panicked dad immediately swung into action, desperate to save his son and relieved to learn that he was 100% okay, owing to the survival swimming lessons from before. 

Frankie’s Mom is cited by Fox 5 San Diego as saying, "I immediately thought, 'oh my gosh, he did exactly what he was taught to do. He did what he was supposed to do and those lessons were invaluable."

Since the story broke, the ISR instructor has been flooded with requests for the life-saving swimming lessons. You can learn more about ISR safety tips here, including an instructor search feature.