Dr. Laura Fitzmaurice, emergency medicine specialist at Children's Mercy says it only takes a couple inches of water and just a few minutes for children to drown. At Children's Mercy, more than 20 kids a year are seen for near drownings. Check with the Red Cross, YMCA or local parks and recreations departments. These courses can give children basic swimming skills and teach them what to do in case of an emergency. Teach children to swim with a buddy, never alone.
Buddies look out for each other and know what to do when their buddy is in trouble in the water.
Teach your children to swim only in places where someone, usually a lifeguard, is watching. Beware of backyard pools, hot tubs or Jacuzzis in the neighborhood, especially those not fenced. Your child could wander off and accidentally fall in. Never let older children swim in unsupervised areas like quarries, canals or ponds. Older children are at risk of drowning when they overestimate their ability or underestimate how deep water is.